General Hospital: Rewritten
by smirks
Summary: A pet project to rewrite the past summer of General Hospital. Character returns. Surprise twists. New storylines. Old storylines written better. Featuring the whole cast.
1. Chapter 1

Rewritten

**Rewritten**

**Foreword:** _This is my attempt to rewrite what turned out to be a rather uninspiring summer on General Hospital. It didn't have to be that way, but it was. It will feature everyone…hopefully. It starts the night that Michael was shot. None of the other storylines from that show take place in this universe. No JoLu arguing, no Liason. No J-Lex. No Scrubs beforehand. Why? It's my story. Comments, good or bad, are always appreciated._

**Chapter One: **

* * *

**Port Charles: 3am**

Johnny sat at the wheel of the car, feverish and anxious, but to the girl across from him, he just looked determined and fearless. He revved the engine, and the car raced off into the dark night. Casually, he flipped on the radio as he turned onto a country road. A macabre guitar twanged into existence in a minor key.

_You wake up to the sound of alarms_

_And you're driving your fabulous car_

_Listening to the music that reminds you_

_You used to be young. You used to be young._

The beat kicked in and Johnny pressed the pedal down farther, and the lampposts zoomed by even quicker. Beside him, Lulu's mane of blonde hair had blown across her face and whipped in the wind. She was laughing. _It would all be over soon, _Johnny thought.

* * *

**Port Charles: Earlier that evening**

The swinging doors of the emergency center at Port Charles General Hospital banged open as paramedics crowded around a stretcher, working frantically. One of them started calling out information before the doctors had even rushed over.

"Twelve-year-old male. Gunshot to the head. Possible cerebral edema. Pulse thready. Unresponsive…"

Patrick Drake, with his long legs, was the first to make it to the gurney. His eyes went wide with recognition and his hand immediately shot out to the side to stop the much shorter legs of Robin Scorpio, who, as always, was just a step behind him, jogging twice as fast.

"Robin, you don't want to see this," he said in the calmly detached manner he had learned to adopt when sights were too shocking to process. Robin, never one to take Patrick's opinion on what she wanted, struggled against his forearm, and finally ducked underneath it, stopping short as she saw the patient.

"My God…Michael."

There was blood matted in his red hair, and a streak from where a rivulet had rolled across his forehead. His normally pale skin was even paler, almost ghostly. Robin turned away immediately nausea threatening to overtake her. She tried to shake the image by squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't want to see anymore. She could hear the stretcher rolling by her now, and the bustle of the ER, people talking, people shouting, but it all seemed to slow and blur into something she couldn't make sense of.

When Robin finally opened her eyes, Sonny and Carly were staggering in through the emergency doors, in a daze, faces sunken, wandering aimlessly, hopelessly, like so many parents she'd seen come into this place. They looked stunned. They looked like they'd been hit by a bomb. She walked up to them, not quite knowing what to say. Carly cut her off before she even got the chance.

"Where's Michael?" Carly whispered uncharacteristically, on the verge of tears. Robin hesitated. They were working on him. The last thing they needed was a hysterical Carly barging in, screaming and crying.

"WHERE IS HE?" Carly began yelling desperately. She shook Robin until Robin thought she might start to come apart at the seems.

"T-they're working on him in e-examining room four." was all Robin could muster before Carly blew by her and stormed down the hall. Robin, desperate to be of some use, looked over at Sonny, who was bewilderedly staring at nothing.

"….Sonny?" Robin asked cautiously. She didn't get a response. She touched him gently on the arm and he startled, his eyes searching wildly before they settled on her.

"Sonny, what happened? Are you okay?" Robin turned him around and began examining him, looking for traces of blood, gunshot holes, scrapes, bruises. There was blood on his suit, and his hands, but no injuries. Sonny shook her off.

"It should have been me, Robin," he muttered. "It should have been me." He walked off.

* * *

The crime scene was bathed in alternating flashes of blue and red from the police cars parked outside, casting strange, moving shadows all over the warehouse. Police commissioner Mac Scorpio was grim-faced, directing officers to secure the area and look for the gunman. Barking his last orders with a little more severity than usual, he took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself down. His fists were clenched as he surveyed the scene. Another mob hit. Another young life taken too soon. Just like Emily Quartermaine. Just like his Georgie.

Mac ducked under some crime scene tape to where one of his detectives, Lucky Spencer, was taking a witness statement from Kate Howard.

"…and he was going out to play and Sonny was coming towards me, and there was a flash, from…from over there," she directed his eyes to a place along the wall, stacked with crates, "and the next thing I knew I was on the ground and someone screamed and Sonny ran to his son and started yelling at everyone to call 911."

Lucky looked grimly at Mac, and then they both turned to look at the blood covered spot on the floor that the crime scene technicians were busy photographing. Mac's jaw clenched, as he stared at the grey concrete space, picturing the park, and his young daughter's dead body lying lifeless in the snow. Disgusted, Mac turned away. Kate Howard looked at him expectantly.

"C-Can I go now? I need to get to the hospital. Sonny needs me to –"

"You can go when I tell you that you can go!" Mac snapped, practically growling. "Do you even want us to catch this guy?"

"Whoa, Mac." Lucky quickly led him aside. "Are you okay?", he whispered once they were out of earshot.

"I'm just – I'm just tired of it all, Lucky. How many are going to die? How many – how many young people have we lost? How many? And for what? And you know it's never going to end. Now there will be retaliation. Why can't we just lock them all in a box, so they can kill each other, and not – and not…."

"Hey," Lucky said, clapping him on the back. "It's okay. I've got this covered here. We're going to get this one, you and I, okay? Why don't you take a break?" Mac looked over at the concrete floor of the warehouse again, and nodded slowly, before stalking off. Lucky walked back to Kate, who was tapping her heels impatiently.

"A couple more questions. I need to know where you were standing, and where Sonny was standing when the gun went off." Kate walked over to a spot beside a railing, dividing the makeshift office area from the storage section of the warehouse.

"This is where I was standing," she said, looking around to be sure of her bearings, "and Sonny was just a couple of feet away. Right there." Lucky followed the path from the space between the crates to where Sonny and Kate were standing, a couple of times.

"This…this flash you said you saw…can you describe it?"

"It was it was like a reflection. I think it was…the reflection of…one of those telescope thingies, you know, for guns."

"A sight?" Lucky asked. Kate nodded.

"And did you see the gunman?"

"I…no. It was dark, and it all happened so fast. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground."

"Anything else you remember."

"I remember…I remember it didn't sound like I thought it would. The gunshot. It was sort of like a loud clank. I didn't even know what had happened for a minute."

Lucky's eyes drew down to the railing, and then he shut them, as a very painful idea came into his head. That bullet was meant for Sonny. It was a ricochet.

"Can I go now?" Kate's voice was eager. Lucky nodded and called for an officer.

"Take Mrs Howard to General Hospital immediately."

* * *

The dull din of the doctors and nurses in the emergency room operating bay could be heard in the hallway, where Carly sat, curled into a ball against the wall, staring at nothing in particular, and avoiding the pitiful stare of Sonny, who was himself curled up on the other side of the hallway, with Robin beside him, rubbing his arm.

Carly felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up.

"Mom?"

"Oh Carly." Bobbie slid down the wall to sit next to her daughter, pulling her into her arms. Carly laid her head on Bobbie's shoulder.

"What's going to happen?" she whispered, her voice throaty with tears.

"They're working on him now," Bobbie said comfortingly, the years of experience as an OR Nurse steadying her voice. "They're doing everything they can, Carly, okay? They're going to do absolutely everything they can for him." She kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"Mom…what am I going to do? What am I going to do if…." Carly trailed off into tears, and buried her head into Bobbie's neck. Bobbie ran a hand through her daughter's hair.

"Shh…it's okay. You need to stay strong. Michael is going to need you to stay strong for him." Carly shuddered against her shoulder, and Bobbie looked up in silent prayer. This was BJ all over again. She envisioned the doctors coming out of the room with organ donation paperwork, and squeezed her eyes shut until the image went away. This was not fair. Not again. Not Michael too. "BJ watch over him," she whispered.

* * *

Claudia pulled Johnny into the den by his elbow. Johnny looked at her in alarm.

"Something bad has happened. Something really really bad." She began to pace.

"What?" Johnny followed her. He had never seen his sister so distraught.

"Oh God. We shot his kid, Johnny. We shot his kid."

"What?"

"Sonny Corinthos' kid got shot in the head."

"How? I mean, this wasn't supposed to happen! No! This was never supposed to happen!" Johnny yelled, hands going to his head. "This was not what I wanted! This was NOT –"

"Well, if it isn't the two screw-ups," droned his father's slightly mad voice from the doorway. "Mistake number one and mistake number two. Well, I hope you're happy, because you've gotten us all killed." He laughed. "He's going to come, and he's going to put a hole in your head. And he's going to put a hole in your head. And then he's going to try to put a hole in MY head, but I'm going to be ready for him." Anthony Zacchara laughed wildly, practically giggling at the thought of whatever was going through his demented head. His children looked at him agog.

"But daddy –"

"Oh, don't you daddy me, princess. You know, I never wanted children, but Maria – oh my dear Maria, she had to have one, you know, because you weren't good enough, Claudia, of course, and really why would you be? Your mother was a whore. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Will. YOU. STOP!!" Johnny screamed, tearing at his hair. Claudia had lowered herself to the floor and was rocking herself. Anthony didn't stop.

"Oh, but not your mother, Johnny. She was no whore. Oh God, she was beautiful. She had a smile like sunshine, and a voice so gentle. And her laugh. Oh, my heart used to flutter." His demeanour changed. "But of course, she was a traitorous bitch, so I shot her in the head. She would be so disappointed in you, Johnny. Screw up. Such a screw up. Both of you. I should have never had children. Oh well. Too late now," he giggled. "We're all gonna die! So long, my children! See you in hell!" He laughed maniacally and rolled himself out of the room

* * *

Patrick checked the output of several monitors and nodded to himself.

"Okay, good job, team. Good job." He said, ripping off a slightly bloody plastic smock and throwing it in the waste container along with a pair of latex gloves. "Epiphany, I need those surgical consent forms. I'm going to go and talk to the parents now."

"Coming right up, Doctor Drake." Epiphany piped, and followed him out the door, leaving Nurse Elizabeth Webber alone with Michael. Elizabeth couldn't leave. All she could do is stare.

"You're going to be alright, Michael. Just hold on a little bit longer, okay?" She wished that she sounded more confident. The horrible thing about it was that she could only think about her own boys, and what it would be like to see them being wheeled into this place pale and bloody, bullets lodged in their brains. She couldn't stop picturing Cameron on the swings. Jake crawling in the grass. Gunshots. Horrible gunshots. She squeezed Michael's hand.

* * *

Jason Morgan bolted through the doors of the ER with deadly determination. Fear and anger bubbled inside of him, and he practically knocked down an orderly to get to the Nurse's Station. Sonny had called him from the ambulance, and his cell phone had not stopped ringing since. Carly. Robin. Liz. Bobbie. Mike.

"Where's Michael? Where's Carly?" he demanded of Epiphany, who was placing some forms on a clipboard.

"Down that hallway. Follow me, I'm going there anyway." Epiphany strode down the hallway, at what seemed a far too relaxed pace. When Jason got there, he saw a small crowd huddled around Patrick Drake, clutching each other.

"…managed to get him into stable condition, and stop some of the bleeding, but the bullet is lodged in Michael's brain, and we need to remove it, and any blood that has built up, and stop the bleeding. It's complicated, and it might be a long surgery, but it's imperative that we do it quickly, while he's stable, to limit any brain damage."

Carly started sobbing again and clung to Bobbie. Jason walked up to her and placed a supportive hand on her back. Carly turned around and flung herself into Jason's arms.

"Jason! Oh, my baby boy!"

* * *

Lucky left the seventeenth message on Lulu's cell phone and silently cursed the teenager for never answering his calls. He clicked his cell phone shut as a uniformed officer trotted up to him with a report.

"We found some gunshot residue and some hair and footprints in the storage area that we are going to process, and we're taking a look at that railing like you asked."

"Good put a rush on everything. I want answers today."

* * *

Lulu took a headphone out of her ear and looked at her cell phone. Lucky. Again. Probably wanting to warn her …yet again…about Johnny. Or wanting to know where she was and what she was doing. He was her brother, not her father. She rolled her eyes, and then stuck the earplug back inside her ear, flipping open her magazine. Her cell phone went off again. She picked it up, and was going to throw it against the wall until she noticed that it was a text message.

From Johnny: I NEED U NOW. C ME? AT HOME. COME NOW. PLZ.

It was nice to be needed. Lulu grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

* * *

Johnny paced one of the upper balconies of the mansion. Looking out, half-crazed at the road. He was going to die tonight. Someone was going to sneak up behind him and put a bullet in his head and there was nothing he could do about it. His father was right. He was a screw up of epic proportions. He should jump right now and do the world a favour, but he wanted to see Lulu just one more time first. Just one more time.

* * *

"I need permission to do the surgery." Patrick looked from person to person, impatiently.

"Y-yeah. Do it. Do what you've gotta do. Save my son." Sonny muttered bleakly. Nodding, Patrick strode back into Michael's room, not wanting to waste a second.

"We need someone to fill out these forms, giving the hospital permission to do the surgery. Here's one for Michael's medical history, and one for insurance information." Epiphany held out the clipboard, but both Sonny and Carly looked at it as if it was a hundred pound weight.

"I'll take it, Epiphany." Bobbie said, steering Carly back toward the emergency room lounge, leaving Jason with Sonny and Robin in the hallway. "It's alright Carly. I can fill out most of it, but I need you to help me, okay? You can answer a few questions?"

Jason looked questioningly at Sonny.

"What happened?"

"What happened? What happened? I could ask you the same thing, Jason. What happened? What happened in my warehouse? What happened to the security in that place?" Sonny looked at Jason menacingly.

"What was Michael even DOING there?" Jason fired back. "You KNOW better. We don't involve children in the business. What was he doing at that warehouse tonight?"

"It was my idea," whispered Kate, who had just walked into the hallway. The three looked up at her. She was on the verge of tears. "Oh, Sonny, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." She ran up to him but as soon as she touched his arm, he recoiled.

"You know what, Kate? It IS your fault. It's your fault for bringing him into the warehouse, and it's Jason's fault for not doing his job and protecting that warehouse…but do you know whose fault it REALLY is Kate? Do you?!" he yelled. "It's MINE! It's MY fault, because that bullet should have been in MY head, Kate. That boy has done nothing – NOTHING!! The only reason that that boy has a bullet in his brain is because he's MY SON. And I'm going to find the bastard who did this, and that man is a DEAD man!"

Sonny stormed off.

* * *

Johnny leaned against his car door, staring off to space rocking back and forth as Lulu approached. When he saw her, he smiled nervously, taking her into his arms.

"So…you uhh…needed me, huh?" Lulu flirted. Johnny's grin grew wider. He knew what he was going to do now.

"Run away with me!" he said, desperately, determinedly. Lulu crinkled her forehead at him.

"You want me to…run away with you? And you lost your mind…when?"

"Just…let's get in the car, and drive. I want to take you out driving. Let's just get in the car and go on an adventure…leave the world behind. Just you and me. No packing, no plans, just see where the road takes us. There's a place that I know. I haven't shown you it before. It's way out in the country. It's perfectly quiet. Not a person for miles. You can look up and see every star in the sky. It's beautiful. Please, just say you'll come with me?" Johnny was intense. Lulu looked at him dubiously, but slid into the car when he held open the door for her.

* * *

The crowd in the waiting room had grown into a small, mournful wake. Carly sat sandwiched in between Bobbie and Mike, head in Bobbie's lap. Mercedes sat in the corner, rocking a slumbering Morgan. Max and Milo stood unassumingly outside the door, casual, but obviously there for protection. Their shoulders sagged. They looked defeated. Robin paced in the hallway, watching Jason calmly giving orders to someone on the end of his cell phone.

"I want guards on all the houses, the warehouses, the safe houses. I want guards on the hospital. And I want to know who was responsible for this shooting, and I want them removed."

Patrick's complete focus and concentration was on the tiny, deformed piece of metal wedged in the side of Michael's frontal lobe. With impossibly slow movements, he had massaged brain matter away from the bullet, and now carefully moved it…just a little…a little more. Suddenly blood gurgled up out of nowhere.

"Suction now!"

"Pressure's dropping doctor."

Warning alarms went off as the machinery flashed that something was horribly wrong.

* * *

**Port Charles: 3am**

Johnny sat at the wheel of the car, feverish and anxious, but to the girl across from him, he just looked determined and fearless. He revved the engine, and the car raced off into the dark night. Casually, he flipped on the radio as he turned onto a country road. A macabre guitar twanged into existence in a minor key.

_You wake up to the sound of alarms_

_And you're driving your fabulous car_

_Listening to the music that reminds you_

_You used to be young. You used to be young._

The beat kicked in and Johnny pressed the pedal down farther, and the lampposts zoomed by even quicker. Beside him, Lulu's mane of blonde hair had blown across her face and whipped in the wind. She was laughing. _It would all be over soon, _Johnny thought.

* * *

"…just let the guards to their job. They were instructed not to bother you unless there's a problem. Yeah, yeah…just tell Kristina I love her, will you? Thanks. Bye."

Sonny hung up his cell phone and looked up at the Zacchara mansion. He had left a similar message for Morgan. Now he was going to get the bastards who did this. They would die, each and every one of them. He took the safety off of his gun and walked in.

_And now you're searching, for a sign with your name  
To define you the king of the game  
What will you do when there's nothing left  
For you to earn and for you to learn_

_So dose me up once is not enough  
I can still see the ground  
And from this high rise view looking down on you  
I'm not the one wasting my time_

He found Claudia on the floor of the den, tears streaming down her face, staring at nothing, rocking back and forth. He pointed the gun. When she saw him, she looked up and laughed. She almost looked relieved. Sonny tried to squeeze the trigger. Wild rage stormed inside his head, but she looked pathetic.

"DO YOU KNOW WHY I'M HERE?! DO YOU?!" he screamed at her. She cowered.

"I know why you're here!" Anthony Zacchara was practically gleeful. "You're going to send us to Hell!!" he clapped his hands, and then considered a thought that just occurred to him. "You know, I thought it would be the tall fellow, you know, the one who looks like he chews rocks for breakfast. Your enforcer. The one that looks like death in a leather jacket. I thought he'd be the one to send us there, but you're a pleasant surprise, Mr. Corinthos. I can respect the kind of man who takes care of business himself. I see you've met my daughter the whore. My son is around here somewhere …I think. But you see, Mr. Corinthos, I knew you were coming, so I cooked up a little surprise!" he giggled. He pulled out an empty gasoline canister from behind his wheelchair, and threw it across the room, where it fell on a pile of others.

"See you in Hell, Mr. Corinthos! See you in Hell!" Anthony Zacchara flicked the switch on his lighter, and cackled, throwing it high into the air.

* * *

Ian Devlin turned down another country road, and sped forward. He had to get out of here. He'd managed to evade the police so far. He'd stay on the back roads until he hit Canada, and then he'd find a town so small it wasn't even on the map. He was a dead man. Nervously, he flicked on the radio, and then squinted out the windshield at what looked like a fire in the distance.

_And every culture has its own magazine  
And information takes the place of your dreams  
Finding ways to fill up the silence  
But it's all that you need turn on your TV_

Flames licked through the night sky. Down the road, he saw headlights. He cut his headlights, but kept driving. The car was coming pretty fast. Maybe they wouldn't even notice him.

* * *

"Wooooohoooooo!! This is amazing Johnny!!" Lulu threw her hands in the air, and looked adoringly at him. Focusing momentarily on her rear view mirror to fix her hair, she noticed something in the distance behind them and her eyes grew wide. Smoke and flames lapped at the place they had left not five minutes earlier.

"Johnny!!" she shrieked, "Oh my God, Johnny!! Your HOUSE!!" She shook his arm.

_So dose me up once is not enough  
I can still see the ground  
And from this high rise view looking down on you  
I'm not the one wasting my time_

He looked behind them. Fire. His sister. He swerved. The crash shattered

They never did see the car in the other lane with its headlights out.

_This is the end of the world news._

* * *

_Song lyrics: Tom McRae – End of the World News._

Who will live? Who will die? All on the next General Hospital: Rewritten. Feedback makes me happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously on Rewritten:**

…Michael received a gunshot wound to the head and was brought to General Hospital, where Patrick Drake had to give him life-saving surgery.

…Sonny, distraught about Michael, went to seek revenge on the Zacchara family

…Anthony Zacchara set a trap for Sonny in anticipation of a strike against his family.

…Johnny Zacchara, out of fear of mob retaliation, tried to go on the run with Lulu, but a car crash cut these plans short.

**Chapter 2:**

Lucky Spencer trudged out of the Corinthos warehouse and into the large parking lot, where he found Detective Cruz Rodriguez leaning against his car, coffee in hand.

"Hey, I could use one of those," Lucky yawned, scrubbing at his tired eyes.

"Get your own, Spencer." Cruz shot back, delightedly gulping the last of his coffee down before displaying his empty cup.

"Some partner YOU are," Lucky laughed good-naturedly. "It's been a hard night. That kid who got shot…he's my cousin, you know."

"I always knew you had mob ties, Spencer."

"I always had mob ties, Cruz. When I was Michael's age, I followed my dad on some 'business' to a warehouse just like this one. I hid behind a crate. I thought he needed backup, you know. That's what we Spencers do. We always have each other's backs. I ended up shot in the stomach."

"No way!" Cruz said in disbelief. "You mean, you were always lousy backup?"

"Thanks, man. I needed that." Lucky laughed at the joke. He glanced at his watch. "Thank goodness this shift is almost over."

"Ten minutes and counting. Want to come over for a beer?"

"No, I've got to check in on my sister, and make sure that she stays away from that Zacchara kid, before another Spencer winds up the victim of a mob hit. Corinthos is going to retaliate hard for this."

Suddenly, the radio in Cruz's car blared to life, the dispatcher sending fire trucks and emergency vehicles to an well-known address, just outside of town.

"And there's the retaliation." Cruz said smoothly.

"Ugh. Three minutes til the end of shift. Don't page us. Don't page us. Don't page us…"

The radio cut in again. They were officially paged to the scene.

"You've really got to change that name, Spencer, because you really have no luck," Cruz said sliding into his car and turning on his lights. Lucky did the same, vowing to leave one more message for his sister while on route.

* * *

The world around Patrick Drake was a blur as he barked orders at the assisting surgeons, desperately trying to get the bleeding under control. There was so much blood. The nurse to his left kept giving him updates on the vitals. The pressure was dropping. A small voice inside of Patrick told him that this kid wasn't going to make it, but he pressed on anyway, ignoring it.

"Come on kid! Fight!"

* * *

The mansion had become a towering inferno, and smoke engulfed practically everything in sight. What was worse, though was the mad cackling that rose above the din of the crackling fire, coming from somewhere inside the building. Suddenly, a chair flew through the glass pane of one of the lower-floor windows and two sooty shadows lumbered out into the night where they sank to the grass, and sucked in air greedily, before coughing and passing out.

* * *

The crime scene was surrounded by so many emergency vehicles that Lucky and Cruz couldn't even catch a glimpse of the wreckage when they first arrived on the scene, but as they wove around the first perimeter of squad cars, Lucky's foot felt the crunch of windshield glass and he knew it was bad if a piece of the windshield travelled that far. They passed a rearview mirror and a hub cap, before rounding an ambulance, and almost running into a team of paramedics, carrying a gurney.

The face of the patient was bloody and purple bruising and swelling warped the features, but the face was immediately recognizable to Lucky.

"Ian Devlin," he said to one of the passing paramedics. "He's a doctor at GH."

After rounding the ambulance, the crime scene laid before them, garishly lit by flares and red and blue flashing lights, which reflected off gruesomely twisted metal, and a sprinkling of little pebbles of glass as far as the eye could see. Paramedics were working on the second car, trying to free two more victims. Something about the other car seemed familiar, and after a moment Lucky recognized it as Johnny Zacchara's. Sighing, he flipped out his cell phone for what seemed like the twentieth time that night and dialled his sister's number. He didn't think that Lulu would take the news well. As he approached the car, he stepped over a mangled license plate that confirmed his suspicions. One ring. Two.

Suddenly, Lucky's heart sank as he heard the echo of a tinny pop song escape the crumpled mess he was heading towards. It was Lulu's cell phone. Lucky broke out into a trot, covering the remaining ground in an instant. One of the paramedics tried to head him off, but Lucky brushed her aside. He had to see her. The body was finally eased from the vehicle, but the paramedics hovered closely. Between the densely packed paramedics, all that Lucky could see was a limp arm hanging, and a tangle of long blonde hair matted in red goo.

"Lulu!!" Lucky shouted, painfully, almost a howl. By that time the paramedic he brushed aside had caught up to him, with Cruz just behind and they each grabbed an arm as he struggled to run to her.

"Let them do their job," the paramedic warned sternly, but gently.

"Nooo!" Lucky howled, "my sister." He struggled against them wildly, but they would not let go.

* * *

Patrick emerged from the OR doors, pale and exhausted, but headed straight for the waiting room, which sat crowded with Michael's family. They rose immediately and proceeded to gather around him. Patrick took a deep breath and sighed before addressing him.

"We went into Michael's brain to try and remove the bullet, and stop the bleeding in his brain. We removed the bullet successfully…but…there were complications. There was more damage than we originally thought, and Michael lost a lot of blood during surgery. He's recovering now, in the ICU, but his condition is still very serious. We're monitoring him very closely. The next few hours are going to be very critical."

The faces stared at him blankly. Robin, and Bobbie, who had each heard this speech at least a hundred times before, squeezed their eyes shut in understanding. It took Carly a moment longer.

"So he…he could still…" she started. Choking on tears, she couldn't even finish the sentence.

"He could still die," confirmed Patrick. The crowd began to disperse, all lost, for a moment, in their own thoughts.

"I want to see my little man. I want to see my son." Carly's voice rose defiantly.

* * *

Elizabeth dragged herself to the nurse's station, utterly defeated. She had never seen such a long and complicated surgery. She had never seen so much blood. She carefully unpinned a picture of Jake and Cameron that she had tacked to the bulletin board amongst all of the other nurse's family photos.

"This will NEVER happen to either of you. I swear it," she whispered determinedly to the picture. Jason wandered out of the hallway, and looked at her helplessly as he walked over to her. She knew that she should probably say something comforting at this time, but she couldn't shake the idea of one of her boys lying on a stretcher one day, covered in blood. He reached out a hand to her and she squeezed it for a second before whispering, "This is why no one can ever find out that you are Jake's father."

She walked off, unable to say anything else.

* * *

Patrick was watching Carly from the hallway as she sat by Michael's bedside and clutched his hand. Robin wandered up behind him and threw her arms around his waist, resting her head against his arm.

"What do you really think his chances are," she whispered quietly.

"I don't know. Not good. Where's the father?"

"Sonny stormed off. I don't know where he went."

"He should be here," Patrick whispered, annoyance apparent in his voice. "He shouldn't miss this. He's his father, for God's sake. He's going to regret this if he's not here, and if Michael…. He should be here, damnit. It's his responsibility." Robin took her head off of his shoulder to give him a meaningful look. Patrick matched it with equal intensity, and then kissed her on the forehead, letting his hand come to rest on the place where their child was growing. Tears filled his eyes and he began to say something, but an announcement cut him short –

"All available doctors and nurses, please proceed to the emergency desk immediately. All available doctors and nurses, please proceed to the emergency desk immediately. Several incoming traumas."

With one bewildered look at each other, Robin and Patrick began jogging down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

Previously On Rewritten…

**Previously On Rewritten…**

...Patrick Drake removes the bullet from Michael's brain, but there is a lot of blood loss, and his situation is critical

…Lucky discovers his sister Lulu has been in a car accident, along with Johnny Zacchara, and Dr. Ian Devlin

…Two people make it out of the inferno at the Zacchara mansion

…Patrick and Robin share an important moment, which is interrupted as new trauma patients come to GH.

**Chapter 3:**

Chaos was quickly breaking out in the General Hospital emergency center. A large group of doctors and nurses waited, talking nervously amongst themselves, but mostly watching the ongoing argument between Dr. Ford, and Nurse Epiphany Johnson.

"Who gave you the authority to accept all of those trauma victims? We are ill-equipped and under-staffed and Mercy is only a 30 minute drive from here. I've told you time and time again Epiphany…"

"Well, with all due respect – SIR – this is an emergency and I'd rather not ask the fine paramedics to drive all the way out to Mercy to deliver corpses, when they could deliver patients here."

"You know, I have half a mind to shut this entire emergency center down. It is nothing but a damned drain on this hospital's precious resources – Nurse Webber, get on the phone with the paramedics and tell them they've been deflected to Mercy."

Elizabeth looked up from her call, and stared agog at Dr. Ford.

"Belay that, Nurse Webber," Epiphany ordered. "You will do no such thing. Tell them we will gladly take on all of the injured."

Now all of the doctors and nurses were openly staring at the ping-pong match between Epiphany and the Chief of Staff.

"You have some nerve, Nurse Johnson!" Who do you think you are?"

"Excuse me, SIR, but who do you think YOU are—"

Bobbie Spencer, who had wandered in during the middle of this exchange, looked incredulously at the both of them, before heading over to Liz and whispering "What do we got?"

"Five trauma victims. Two with severe smoke inhalation and minor burns, the other three from a car crash: contusions, lacerations, possible broken bones and internal bleeding."

"ETA?"

"Uhhh…soon…a couple of minutes."

Bobbie sprang herself on top of the nurse's station and whistled loudly to get everyone's attention. She only had to do it once.

"Okay, we have five patients coming in. I want you to assemble trauma teams and take them as they come. Drake, Johnson…you're team one. Scorpio, Webber…you're team two. Dr. Julian, you'll be with me on team three. Noah…Nurse Sanchez….and Dr. Amalfi and Nurse McCutcheon. The rest of you, disperse amongst those teams, or find some way to make yourselves useful!" With that, she gave a sharp look to Dr. Ford.

Applause erupted in the GH emergency room, which instead of the circus it was five minutes ago, had rearranged itself into a Von Trapp–like model of organization. Most of the young doctors couldn't help but stare in awe, and Robin Scorpio even mouthed a silent "Thank you" to Bobbie, who looked absolutely battle ready, pulling her long hair back into a ponytail. She wasn't done yet. She walked up to Ford.

"You, sir, should be ashamed of yourself. This hospital has a history of being run by great men like Steve Hardy and Alan Quartermaine, both of whom would never allow this to happen on their watch. You are a shame to the Hippocratic oath and a shame to this hospital, and when I'm done here tonight I am going to call EVERY SINGLE member of the hospital board, all of which I know personally, and tell them exactly what kind of man you are."

Dr. Ford glowered at her for an extra second before skulking off. She was another enemy that might have to be removed.

Suddenly, gurneys started spilling in through the doors. Patrick and Epiphany took the first victim, a man in a dark suit, covered in soot. Even with the mask covering most of his face, he recognized him immediately and the terrified gasps of Robin and Bobbie confirmed it for him.

"Well, well, the father returns…okay, examining room one. Go."

The next gurney burst into the ER. The face, mottled with purple swelling, was almost unrecognizable, but if the long, blonde hair didn't give the patient's identity away, Lucky's appearance on the heels of the stretcher confirmed it. Robin and Elizabeth nearly stopped in their tracks as the realization dawned on them.

"Lucky?"

"It's Lulu. Go."

"Okay. We've got her. Examining room two."

Another blackened body. The paramedic shouted vitals, and Bobbie was relieved to see that it was no one that she knew.

"We're in three."

A paramedic was straddling the fourth gurney, doing chest compressions, but Dr. Noah Drake recognized his colleague.

"Dr. Devlin!"

The final stretcher contained a body that looked like a broken marionette. Even at almost 60 years of age, almost two thirds of them practicing medicine, Dr. Amalfi winced as he rushed along side the stretcher.

* * *

Across town, Mac Scorpio surveyed his second crime scene of the night. This time, however, he had bags underneath his eyes, and a day's growth of scruff on his chin. He hadn't slept in….God knows how long. Another day, possibly another three young people struck down before they even got to start their lives, and yet another mob war on his hands.

"And the murderers always go free," he muttered to himself. He kicked at the ground, and his shoe hit something round that skittered away across the pavement. Following its path, he picked up what turned out to be a chunky bracelet. It was the kind his Maxie sometimes wore. The kind that Georgie always thought was too impractical because she was saving up for college. The kind that was knocked twenty feet away from the girl who was hit by a car so damned hard as part of what was probably a hit on her mobster boyfriend. Overcome with rage, he threw the bracelet as hard as he could and it caromed off of the tangled mass of metal with a giant clang and sailed off into the night. Some nearby officers looked strangely at him, but all of a sudden, Mac didn't care.

"You hear me, you mobsters?! You sick bastards!! Do you hear me?!" he screamed. "It ends. Every last one of you. It ends NOW!"

To the officers across from him, he seemed almost mad, silhouetted by the blazing Zacchara mansion off into the distance that continued to rage on into the night, like a man in hell, but Mac Scorpio was about to make a little hell of his own. He stormed off into the night.

* * *

Carly sat alone in Michael's hospital room, listening to the gentle wheezing and beeping of the life support machines, clutching his hand. She tried Jax again on her cell phone. Voicemail. Again. Where was he? She tossed her cell phone to the floor.

"Michael, when this is all over, we're going to get as far away from this place as we can – you and me, and Morgan and Jax. We're going to find somewhere safe."

Patrick walked in behind her, and stood silently behind her until she acknowledged him.

"Mrs. Corinthos – "

"Jacks."

"Mrs. Jacks, I …I uhh, thought you should know about your ex-husband –"

"How is Michael?"

"I – uhh…"

"HOW IS MY SON? Because right now that's the only thing I give a damn about in this world. So you tell me, Patrick. You tell me how my son is and then you get out."

"There's – there's been no change in his vitals. It's going to take some time for us to know exactly."

"Thank you." Carly dismissed Patrick.

* * *

Lucky paced back and forth nervously across outside of the examining room, idly wondering what country to call to even begin looking for his father. Robin Scorpio finally emerged from the examining room.

"How is she?" Lucky asked worriedly. Robin nodded her head optimistically.

"She's stable. She seems to be responsive. Looks like she has a concussion…a rather bad one, and some bruising, and a couple of fractures. One of her arms is broken. But other than that, I think she's going to make a full recovery. Another generation of Scorpios has again saved the day for another generation of Spencers. I think the old men would be proud, wouldn't you?"

"…in their own weird way, I guess. Scorpios save Spencers, but Spencers save the world."

"Spencers are full of it. When did you ever save the world, Lucky Spencer?"

"That's highly confidential information." Lucky winked at her, and Robin laughed. "Thank you. So much. For everything." He gave her a hug. "Can I see her now?"

"Sure, go right on ahead."

Inside Lulu's room, Liz was busy dressing a wound on Lulu's arm. She smiled sympathetically at Lucky as he entered.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she said, "just a lot of scrapes from the glass."

Lulu seemed to be covered in gauze and her face in particularly seemed to be almost mummified. "I just took extra special care because…well, she's practically my little sister too. Here, you can hold her hand, but try not to squeeze too tight, because we're not sure if anything is fractured there yet. Is Nikolas on his way? I'm supposed to be off shift right now, so I can stay with you until he comes?"

Lucky nodded bleakly, unable to take his eyes off of the bandages. Liz ruffled his hair and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

* * *

Ford inspected his overflowing patient board with a grumble, and turned his back scowling. Distantly, there was an urgent page over the PA. A patient was coding. Checking to see that nobody was watching, or within eavesdropping distance, he made a call on his cell phone.

"We have a new problem. Bobbie Spencer. She may have to be eliminated….No. No, I'll take care of it myself."

The doctors and nurses of GH, many of whom had already pulled an extra shift because of the crisis, gathered tiredly in front of the patient board. It had been a tough night for everyone, and they acknowledged each other with knowing nods and sympathetic pats on the back. Time to erase patients from the board.

Devlin. Erased.

Zacchara. Erased.

Corinthos. Erased.


	4. Chapter 4

Previously on Rewritten…

...one night...lives lost...names erased...more on the line...a hospital, and a city in chaos.

**Chapter 4: **

**Port Charles General Hospital: 7am**

The sun rose over Port Charles General Hospital, and much of the staff from last night's ordeal, some having worked well beyond their shifts, were packed into the small on-call room, taking a nap before driving home. Robin Scorpio and Patrick Drake, however, had found themselves a nice spot up on the roof, and although the concrete was slightly less comfortable than the bunks in the on-call room, it was a lot quieter, even with the sounds of morning traffic floors below them. Patrick had been waiting for a quiet moment all night, giving Robin meaningful stares, wanting to finish the conversation they had started outside of Michael's room, but now that the time had come, his eyelids drooped and the words would not form. He stared at Robin, who had leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes. He bit his lip pensively. He needed to find the right words.

"Robin, I…"

"Mmmm?" Robin flipped open an eyelid and twisted her neck to look up at Patrick sleepily.

"Robin, I just wanted to say that…" He lost his composure, and started again. "Listen, tonight was…was…I learned a lot of things about myself and…." This time Patrick interrupted his own sentence with a yawn. Robin, who had let her open eyelid drift closed, shot a hand out to cover his mouth.

"Patrick," she said sleepily, "Can we do this later, please?" Her eyelid flickered open to gauge his response. He looked grateful.

"Thank you." Patrick said with another yawn, and wrapped his arms around her, settling them on her stomach. He smiled faintly.

"Mmmhmm." Robin answered sleepily, reaching over to flick on an old stereo that one of the doctors had brought up to the roof.

"We've got your weather coming up in a half hour, and traffic, and more on the horrific string of accidents that occurred overnight in Port Charles, you'll want to stay tuned for that. Right now, we have the Weepies for you with the World Spins Madly On…"

* * *

Nurse Epiphany Johnson turned on the radio at the nurse's station, the radio being the only thing that would keep her awake while filing all of this paperwork, but someone had to do it, she thought, moving Zombie-like.

Sonny Corinthos, blackened and bloody, stood filling out his release papers on one corner of the desk, and snapping the pen down, he looked at the whiteboard behind her listing patients, and doctors. Seeing his own son's name there, he shuddered. Suddenly, he realized that he didn't even know what room Michael was in. He felt disgusted. He looked up pitifully at Epiphany.

"Nurse – Nurse Johnson, w-what room is my son in?" he stuttered.

"Room 712, Mr. Corinthos."

"Thanks."

Sonny walked over to the waiting area, where the couches were full of sleeping friends and family. Mike slumbered on one couch, while Kate was sprawled in an armchair, and Leticia was snoozing in another holding Morgan. Max and Milo had fallen asleep with their backs against the walls. He walked over to Morgan and stroked his hair away from his face, leaving a black mark of soot on his forehead, which disturbed Sonny more than he could say. He'd marred another one of his children. Milo's eyes had flickered open, sensing movement, even as he slept, and they fixated on Sonny. Suddenly, Sonny felt like even more of a danger. He slunk away.

* * *

_Woke up and wished that I was dead  
With an aching in my head  
I lay motionless in bed_

Carly laid on the edge of Michael's hospital bed and her eyes flicked open. Disoriented for a second, she looked down at her son, and the events of last night came rushing back to her. She felt like crying again, but didn't think that she had any tears left. She looked up at Jason, sitting across from them both, reading a magazine. There was the barest change in expression, and he had no comforting words to give her, but he got up to stand beside her. She looked down at her cell phone. No messages from Jax. Where was he when she needed him.

* * *

_I thought of you and where you'd gone  
and let the world spin madly on  
_

Sonny Corinthos stood in the door, and looked into the room. He wanted to be inside with the son, but he felt completely unwanted, and the thought was as effective as a locked door. Jason turned for a moment and stared at him blankly. Sonny felt ashamed. He'd left his son and he was no longer wanted. He turned away.

* * *

_Everything that I said I'd do  
Like make the world brand new  
And take the time for you  
_

Jax was anxiously trying to navigate his Mercedes around morning traffic, which was not budging. Swearing under his breath, he was forced to come to a complete stop. He could see the hospital looming up in the distance. He had to get to her, and more importantly, he had to think of a good explanation as to where he'd been all night. He couldn't tell her where he'd really been.

* * *

_I just got lost and slept right through the dawn  
And the world spins madly on  
_

Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas sat sleeping, propped up against each other in Lulu's hospital room, covered in hospital blankets. Lucky still held Lulu's bandaged hand lightly, Elizabeth's head on his shoulder, and Nik's on hers. For a brief second the Musketeers were reunited, minus one. Halfway across the world, oblivious, Luke Spencer stepped out onto the balcony of a cheap apartment, lit a cigar and watched the sunset.

* * *

_I let the day go by  
I always say goodbye  
I watch the stars from my window sill  
The whole world is moving and I'm standing still_

Mac Scorpio sat in the dark of his office, the early morning sun only a light glow through the window, staring at nothing. He was thinking. Actually, he was brooding, going over his decision in his head. He'd been up all night, making phone calls, drawing up paperwork, putting his plan in motion. Now, there was nothing to do but wait for things to fall into place. Opening up a folder on his desk, he stared at the paperwork, at his resignation letter that sat on top of it all, and satisfied that it was still all there, he closed the folder again, and poured himself a shot of whiskey from the half-empty bottle on his desk. Saluting the empty room with his glass, he quickly emptied it and poured another. 

* * *

_Woke up and wished that I was dead  
With an aching in my head  
I lay motionless in bed_

Nurse Bobbie Spencer and Dr. Leo Julian consulted quietly outside of their patient's room. She had inhaled a lot of smoke, but would be awake soon. Inside the room, Claudia Zacchara opened her eyes and blinked slowly as the world came into focus. She had no idea where she was…a hospital, she concluded slowly. Trying to sit up, she began coughing hoarsely, and throwing herself back down on the bed, she realized that her arms and chest were covered in gauze. And then the pain came.

* * *

_The night is here and the day is gone  
And the world spins madly on_

Meanwhile, in the morgue, the medical examiner was starting what would no doubt be a busy day, if what he heard on the morning news was correct. He threw back tarps to reveal a young man, covered in purple contusions, whose name was Johnny Zacchara, according to the file. Beside him, the examiner was surprised to see a familiar face around the hospital, Dr. Ian Devlin, face slightly deformed from hitting something very hard. The third body, the victim of a fire, was unrecognizable, burned to the point where identification would be difficult. It was definitely going to be a long day.

* * *

_I thought of you and where you'd gone  
And the world spins madly on._

Sonny Corinthos trudged heavily up the stairs of his mansion to his bedroom, shrugging out of his now filthy jacket, and sagging to his bed. For the first time, he noticed that one sleeve of his grey shirt was now soaked in what was unmistakably blood. Turning his arm over, he looked at his hands, and under a layer of dirt, they too were covered in reddish-brown smears. His son's blood. On his hands. It came to him harder than it had before. It was literal. He sank to the floor and began to cry.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Tracy and Alice sat on the couch transfixed to the local morning news:

"…Michael Corinthos, the son of local alleged crime boss Sonny Corinthos, was taken to Port Charles General Hospital, which would make no comment on his status to the media. Later, in what may have been mob retaliation, the mansion of prominent mobster Anthony Zacchara erupted in flames. Firefighters are still struggling to get the blaze under control and there is no word so far on whether there was anyone present in the house at the time of the fire, although there were ambulances at the scene. Finally, not far from the mansion, an ugly two-car collision claimed at least one life last night. Stay tuned for more details on last night's chilling ordeal as they come in this morning…"

Edward Quartermaine marched down the stairs, already in a foul mood and it wasn't even 8 o'clock yet.

"Alice?! ALICE?!...Where is that overpaid feather duster anyway?! Damned woman is never around…makes me miss that incompetent Reginald…ALICE?! ALICE!! Where are you and where is my newspaper! Help these days….ALICE!!"

Barging in to the living room, he found both Alice and Tracy sitting on the couch, rather solemnly. Tracy was talking, rather softly and politely for her, especially this early in the morning, to someone on the phone. Edward shot her a look of disbelief before turning to the maid.

"ALICE! Have you gone deaf, woman? Where's my newspaper?"

"Mr. Q, I think you should sit down…"

"I will NOT sit down until you give me my newspaper! Now go and be quick about it!" Edward began making shooing motions toward the door out of frustration.

"Daddy…" Tracy whispered, "I think you should sit down."

Edward glared at Tracy for a second as if to scold her too, but then when he saw the look on her face, he sagged down in his chair, defeated. He had been "sat down" far too many times in the past few years, and he mentally prepared himself for whatever awful news awaited him.

"Michael Corinthos was shot in the head last night," Tracy proceeded in her blunt fashion, her voice a little more whispery and hoarse than usual. Edward was expecting a lot of things, but that wasn't one of them.

"Is he -- ?"

"Wait…there's more. Lulu was in a car accident last night driving with Johnny Zacchara."

"What the Sam hill is going on! They're just children! I-I-I can't believe this! Who would – why would this happen? Is it –is it mob related? Has that scum killed another young person. My God, Emily was just last November! I – I" Edward sighed, realizing he was probably working himself up to another heart attack. "Alice, have the driver bring the car around. We're going to General Hospital. I want some answers, damnit!"

* * *

Jax scrambled down the hospital hallway looking haggard, trying to find room 712, and almost missing it in his hurry. His face dropped when he looked through the small rectangular window in the door to see Carly curled up, asleep next to Michael, who seemed to have tubes and wires stretched out from every part of his body to machines surrounding him. Carefully, he pushed open the door, and went in.

He was almost afraid to touch her, to wake her from sleep into this hell beside her nearly lifeless child. He took a seat beside the bed for a while and squeezed Michael's hand. Let her sleep for a while, he thought.

* * *

Mike Corbin was frustrated, pacing and yelling at the nurse behind the nurse's station. Kate, standing behind him, hair limp, still in yesterday's clothing – a first for her – stood behind him, arms crossed, chewing her lip with worry.

"What do you mean you don't know where my son is! He came in last night, he was in the mansion fire. His name is Sonny Corinthos!"

"Look," Nurse Leyla Mir said, exasperated, "I just started my shift and this desk is covered in paperwork and this place is chaos! I don't know. He's not on the patient chart, that means he was either discharged, or…"

"Mr Corinthos has been discharged. He's probably off looking for another way to kill himself" Patrick Drake said, matter-of-factly, striding by the nurse's station, head deep in a file. Mike and Kate looked at each other, relieved for a moment, and then the worry returned. Where was Sonny anyway? He should be here.

* * *

Mac emerged from his office, dark circles beneath his eyes, clothes rumpled. Wincing at the bright halogen ceiling lights of the PCPD, he shielded his eyes, and tried to feel his way through the maze of desks, and simultaneously cover his ears to the office noise that thundered in his eardrums. Naturally, he didn't see Alexis striding through the office, cutting through to drop off some files on the way to the courthouse, although he did feel every click of her heels as they stabbed like daggers through his skull. Naturally, Alexis, who had her head in a file, a master of reading and walking, didn't see the commissioner's staggering form until she bumped into him, knocking them both to the ground, as well as Alexis' armful of files. Mac's forehead hit the edge of a desk, and a lightning-strike ignited a blast of pain in his skull. Grabbing his skull, he tried to shake the pain, and then winced up at the offending party.

"….eeeey." he complained.

"Oh, sorry Mac. Alexis righted the spectacles that had fallen askew across the bridge of her nose and begin collecting her files, as Mac sat there, glaring accusingly, cradling his head. When she had gotten her files in order – all by herself, with no help from commissioner soft skull, she noted – she looked over to mockingly thank him for his lack of help, and for the first time really got a good look at the police chief. "My God Mac, you look like…..not good." She finished apologetically, and helped the poor man up.

"Ugh. Thanks." He muttered, swatting at the invisible stars that seemed to circle his head.

"Mac, are you okay?" Alexis learned, half concerned, half not wanting to know anything about it.

"Fine. Actually, I'm super. For the first time in a long time, I'm just super. Woo!" He snarked rather more darkly than usual. Alexis raised a sceptical eyebrow, either doubting the veracity of his words, or his sanity.

"There you are!" boomed the voice of Mayor Floyd, half-jogging over to the two. They groaned. Now they both had a headache. Mac and Alexis shot each other sympathetic looks. " We've got a god-damned tragedy on our hands here people, and you two are standing around like it's a freakin' church social! Mac, I want arrests made today. I don't care who it is, but I want a name on the evening news tonight, and I want you to prosecute the hell out of him, Alexis. My God! This is a PR nightmare people. My next term is riding on this one…..Well? What are you waiting for? Hop to it!"

Mac smirked at him, and started again as if the Mayor's entire outburst hadn't happened at all. "Why hello, Mayor Floyd! I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over your tie. Great day, isn't it? Listen…oh, you too, Alexis. I'll be giving a press conference at – oh…" Mac paused to look at his watch. "Let's say about….3 o'clock? You two will really want to be in attendance. I have an announcement to make that you're both going to probably want to be there for. As for everything else? It's handled, so you two go on and have an outstanding day, will you?" Mac clapped both Alexis and the mayor on the shoulder, and nodded in a satisfied way, as if he had just finished catching up with old friends. The mayor and Alexis shot each other incredulous looks. Mac mock-saluted them both, and swaggered away, staggering a little as he lost his balance, trying to round a desk too quickly. He turned around, suddenly. "Oh, and Alexis, you might want to be a little extra cautious with the girls. There's a mob war on, you know! A full on mob war!" He laughed at that, although neither Alexis nor the mayor could figure out what Mac found so funny.

* * *

Carly awoke with a start. She was confused for a minute, but then, looking down at her son, her heart broke all over again. She lightly brushed at the hair that had become matted to his forehead, and stroked his cheek. She didn't even notice Jax until his hand lightly brushed hers.

"Where have you been?" Carly exclaimed.

"I – I cannot tell you how sorry I am, Carly," Jax started, apologetically, "I was away on some very important business, and I turned my cell phone off to get some sleep." Jax looked shiftily at her. Was she buying it? "As soon as I heard I flew straight back to Port Charles."

"I left you seventeen messages, Jax. Seventeen! I needed you last night, and I couldn't find you. Do you know the hell I've been through. DO YOU?!"

Jax was about to try and sooth his wife when Dr. Patrick Drake strolled in, looking rumpled and tired as ever despite several hours of sleep on the hospital roof. He scrubbed a hand over his face and through his hair, stifling a yawn, before beginning his report.

"As you know, we've been monitoring Michael closely all night. His vitals have been getting better, so there is reason for cautious optimism, but he's still unresponsive, and that is something to be a little worried about at this juncture. We're going to run some more tests right now and see what they tell us."

Carly looked to Jax, heartbroken and desperate.

"We want the best specialists on this kind of situation consulted. America, Europe, call who you have to call, doctor. Money is not a problem. I want the best people there are consulting on this case, Dr. Drake."

Patrick tried to put on his least insulted face, "Of course, Mr. Jacks," he grunted over his shoulder.

* * *

The Quartermaines barged off of the elevator like they owned the place – and really they did…well, a fraction of it anyway, along with the Cassadines, and a few more generous investors. Jason came around the bend, almost running into them, and stared at them like a gazelle that had run straight into a pride of lions.

"Jason!!" Edward bellowed, frantically, grabbing a piece of Jason's jacket, before he had the chance to get away. "Jason! Tell us what happened? How is Michael?"

Jason sighed, irritated already. "Michael is in a coma. Can I go now?"

Tracy stepped in his path, looking at him appraisingly, "That accident with Lulu last night, was it really an accident, Jason, or was it your men at work, because so help me God, if you're the reason that she's lying in a hospital bed, I'll…."

Jason shook his head, and looked at her incredulously and tried to stroll off, but Edward had blocked off his path again.

"N-now Jason…if Michael had just grown up among the Quartermaines, none of this would have happened! You must see that by now. That child growing up surrounded by mobsters – no offense, of course – has finally ended in tragedy. Carly has got to see that by now, too. I –" he paused for a moment, considering a thought that suddenly occurred to him, and he turned back to Jason, face bathed in pity, "Now, one day, you're going to want to have children of your own, Jason. Please, for everyone's sake, get out now. Get out before this happens to a child of your own. I – I couldn't bear it if another one of my –" he faltered. "I couldn't bear it, Jason." Giving Jason one last, measured look, he was satisfied that his pep talk had worked, and walked off, a little sadder.

* * *

Mac breezed through the door, and tossed his jacket at the coat rack, missing by a full foot, and cheering as if this were some feat of athletic prowess. His daughter, Maxie Jones, sat painting her nails on the couch, and looked up at Mac with consternation.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Mac Scorpio?" came the sarcastic reply. Mac bounded across the floor, and hopped onto the couch beside his daughter.

"Just the person I wanted to see! I've got exciting news. Guess what it is?" he beamed at her, a little too brightly, considering the bags under his eyes.

"Let me guess…you ran away to Vegas, won ten thousand dollars at blackjack and my new mom is a showgirl named Ginger? No….no, I didn't think so either. You've discovered enlightenment and the alien mother ship will be here to pick us up next week and take us to Zirgon 5? Nooo…Ummm… Oh wait! I've got it! You fell and cracked your head on the pavement on the way over here, and you've decided to leave the police force and live your life long dream of becoming a professional lion tamer!"

Mac thought about that for a moment. "……close!" he said, nodding, impressed, at his daughter.

"Oh God. You really did marry a Vegas showgirl?" Maxie said worriedly.

"Nope. I'm quitting the force."

"You're what?"

"I'm resigning. Today. I wanted you to be the first to know. Now you can date any old cop on the force and not have to run around behind my back!" he patted her affectionately on the cheek.

"B-but…you're not joining the circus, right?" Maxie was perplexed.

Mac laughed. "No…no…nothing like that."

"Well, what are you going to do then?"

"Oh, don't worry, I have a plan, Maxie. I have a plan."

* * *

Edward stood apologetically at the door. Carly looked up, shell-shocked. She knew she should probably yell at the old bastard before he said something that would upset her more, but somehow, she couldn't find the strength. Taking this as an invitation of sorts, he nervously walked over to Michael's bedside, and took Carly's hand.

"I'm – I'm sorry Carly. I know – I know money isn't a problem," he glanced over at Jax briefly, "but if there's anything I could do…for Michael…for my grandson, please don't hesitate to ask. I…" he looked away, a little emotional, "I know how hard this is for you." And he did. He just buried his grand-daughter a few months ago. Before that, it was his son. His grandsons. Two of them. Before that, his Lila. And now his first great grandson was clinging to life in a hospital bed. The Quartermaine legacy of death, and misery for those who survived it.

Carly stared at him for a moment, and a strange sense of pity and recognition did wash over her. If anyone knew loss, it was the old man. "Do you want to stay a while?" Carly asked, a little throatily.

"I'd like that." They both turned to Michael, and the strange array of softly beeping machines surrounding him. A strange moment of peace.

* * *

Mike and Kate had looked all over the hospital, and decided to try the mansion. It stood eerily quiet, most of the guards dispatched to the hospital, or to protect the children. The living room was empty, and the back door was locked. Calling his name they headed up the stairs. There was no answer. They found him on the floor of his bedroom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Sonny was lying on the floor. At first, Mike couldn't see much, except the blood on his son's wrist, and both he and Kate ran to him, expecting to find him dead, but as they knelt on the floor, they could see his shoulders shudder, and they realized he was sobbing. Looking at each other with trepidation, they tried to ease him upright. Mike grabbed his wrist, and was surprised at how quickly Sonny pulled away.

"No!" Sonny exclaimed in terror, cradling his bloodstained wrist. "It's Michael's!"

"Sonny," Mike started patronizingly, "Sonny, when was the last time you took your medication?" Sonny stared at him wild-eyed. Mike motioned to Kate, who went to the dresser and brought back a container of pills.

"No! I don't want any pills! I want to see my son, Mike! I want my son back! And I want them all to pay, damnit! I want them all to pay!"

"Sonny," Kate whispered, "look, why don't you just take a shower, and we'll get you some new clothes, and then we can go to the hospital to see Michael, alright?"

Sonny looked at her coldly for a moment, and then laughed. "That's what it's all about with you, isn't it? Just put on some new clothes, put on a new name, dress everything up and then you can pretend it never happened. Isn't that right, Kate? Isn't it? Do you think a new suit can make me forget my son was shot? DO YOU? Oh, or maybe it will just help you forget, Kate."

Kate didn't know what to say. She was on the verge of tears. Mike looked apologetically at her and wrangled his son into the bathroom, and shut the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, Kate," he apologized for his son, "he just…he doesn't know what he's saying."

"He knows very well what he's saying," Kate whispered, voice quivering, and ran out.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, the shower had gone on. The water burned, but Sonny didn't care. Fire. The Zaccharas. His son hooked up to machines. He punched the tile wall of his shower a few times for good measure, and then watched his son's blood drip off of his hand and curl in pink eddies around the shower drain.

* * *

_Lulu looked up at the stars. There were so many stars and they all seemed so close, like little fires burning in the distance. Little fires. Something tugged at the edge of Lulu's mind. She stared across the hood of the car at Johnny, lost in thought, lying oh so still._

_"You're unusually quiet," she teased. "What are you thinking about?"_

_"Do you ever wonder what's up there?" he asked quietly, almost a whisper._

_"What do you mean? You're not asking me if I believe in aliens, are you?" Lulu asked suspiciously._

_"No no…I mean, what's really up there. You know, what happens to us after we die?"_

_"Do I believe in Heaven? I don't know. I guess I've never thought about it," Lulu said dreamily, looking up at the sky. "I…I guess I believe in it. I think it would be pretty sad if someone like Georgie, who was nice to everyone, even me – and I was awful to her – didn't get to go somewhere nice after she died." She looked over at Johnny to see if he approved._

_"What about for guys like me? Do you think there's a heaven for guys like me?" He looked over at her, and his intensity startled her a little bit._

_"You're a real mood-killer tonight. You know that?" Lulu gave him a strange look. "Why are you bringing this up? We're both young. We have our whole lives to live. Speaking of which, I say it's time we take advantage of that and do a little living." She rolled across the hood and on top of Johnny, grabbing his head and pulling him into a kiss. He was strangely unresponsive. Lulu broke away to look at him. He was still staring up. "Will you stop?" she chided him. No response. "Fine." Grumbling, she pulled away. It was then she noticed that her hand came away slick and red. She looked back over at him. "…Johnny?" Something was wrong. There was a crack on the windshield above his head. "Johnny?!"_

* * *

"Well then, why isn't she awake yet?!" Tracy lambasted Robin Scorpio, outside of Lulu's room.

"I don't know, Tracy," a very tired looking Robin Scorpio protested. "Look, brain injuries are very difficult to gauge sometimes. There's brain activity, but Lulu's not conscious for some reason."

"Well, if you don't know, you had better find someone who DOES know, and speaking of which, are you sure you're a doctor?" Tracy looked at her sceptically. "You still look like you're 15 years old."

Robin sighed. "Yes, I'm a doctor. I studied at Yale and the Sorbonne. I interned at the American Hospital of Paris. I specialize in research on brain injuries."

"Well, I've already lost one of my nephews to brain damage, and I don't plan on losing my step daughter as well." Tracy thought for a minute. "Oh…you liked Jason…Is that why you?...Oh, he's a lost cause. I don't think there's anything left in there…"

* * *

Lucky shut the door to Lulu's hospital room.

"Do you think we should help her out?" Nik asked, looking worried.

"Nah, Robin is descended from a line of super spies." Lucky replied coolly, "She can handle the interrogation. Besides, Tracy isn't that bad." Liz and Nik looked at each other, puzzled, and looked back to Lucky even more puzzled.

"Brain injury isn't contagious, is it Elizabeth?" Nik smirked. I think some of Lulu's brain injury may have transferred over to Lucky.

"Let me see," Liz went over and pretended to examine Lucky's head. "No evidence of trauma…"

"Cut it out!" he batted her away, laughing. "You know, Tracy really cares for Lulu, and she really cares for my dad, too. And Lulu is really going to need her, since my dad is…I don't even know where to start looking for him." Lucky sighed and looked over at his sister. "Why isn't she awake yet?"

"Sometimes, the brain tries to protect itself from things it isn't ready to accept yet," Liz said, throwing a look at Nikolas. Feeling the heat of her stare, he looked away. He was not ready to give up Emily, damnit.

"I wonder what she's thinking about," Lucky said. "Is there anything we can do to help her? You know, bring her out of it? Make her feel safe?"

"Sometimes familiar voices help," Elizabeth offered, "I know that Luke's not here, but I'm sure hearing the sounds of your voices is really helping Lulu. I'd talk to her. Try and make her feel comfortable."

Realization dawned on Lucky. "I have an idea!" he said suddenly, rising from his chair and grabbing his jacket. "Keep talking to her, I'm going to go get something and then I'll be right back." He trotted out the door.

Elizabeth and Nik shrugged at each other.

* * *

As the elevator doors opened, Lucky was surprised to see Jerry on the elevator. Jerry smiled weakly at Lucky and Lucky narrowed his eyes at Jerry. Jerry was up to no good.

"So, what brings you to the hospital, Jerry?" Lucky asked, appraising him.

"Surely you've heard about my nephew, Detective Spencer." Jerry said in mild protest. "Terrible thing that happened. Got to be here to support my family, you know."

"Hmm."

"What's wrong, detective. Don't believe me?"

"Nope."

"Well, I must say, I'm hurt, Detective Spencer. What on earth would make you think I wouldn't visit my own dear nephew, Michael?"

"Well, for one, Michael's room is on the same floor that I got on the elevator."

"Oh, well, you see, after I visited Michael, I went to see your Aunt Bobbie to chat a little. You know I really haven't caught up with her since I've been back. Such a great lady."

"She's off today. She's watching my kids."

"Oh, well, that's what the nice lady at the desk told me."

"Uh-huh…" Lucky said, sarcastically. The elevator reached the lobby and Lucky got off. Jerry stayed on the elevator, and Lucky looked at him even more suspiciously.

"Parking garage." Jerry shrugged. "I'm afraid we'll have to continue this conversation another day, Detective Spencer." He quickly hit the elevator door close button before Lucky could change his mind.

* * *

Things had fallen silent inside of Michael Corinthos' hospital room. Jax stared anxiously at his watch. He kissed Carly on the head and then stood awkwardly.

"I'm going to umm…I'm just going to go home for a bit, and shower and change, maybe bring some things from home. Some of Michael's toys, maybe? A change of clothes for you?" he started.

Carly looked up at him. "You're leaving me?"

"Just for a bit, sweetheart. I'll be back soon." He kissed Carly and gave Michael's had a squeeze, and left.

* * *

Jerry Jax waited around the corner until the morgue attendants went out on their smoking break, and slid in through the doors of the autopsy bay. Rifling through a few file folders, he found a couple that he was interested and skimmed through them before heading over to the cold storage freezer. Carefully opening the drawers full of corpses, he was able to quickly find the one he was looking for. Ian Devlin.

"My my my, Ian, you look terrible." Jerry mused jovially at the dead body. He slapped on a pair of latex gloves and examined the body for signs of life. "You really are dead. Wonderful. Saved me the awful business of having to kill you myself after it was all over, but I must say, you're not a very good shot. You really did do me a favour, though. Offing both the Corinthos boy and the Zacchara boy will set off a mob war of epic proportions, with the spoils going to the only survivor, and that man is going to be me. Cheers, old friend. Excellent job. Excellent job."

* * *

Sonny pushed the elevator button, and waited impatiently for the doors to open. He had pulled himself together, and even taken his pills, and put on a suit. Kate and Mike were right. He needed to see Michael more than anything else. He had to focus on Michael or the darkness would swallow him whole. Finally, the elevator doors opened. When they did, he was face to face with Jerry Jax. Sonny glowered.

"Hello, Sonny. I can't tell you how sorry I am for Michael. What a terrible, terrible tragedy." Sonny stared stonily at Jerry. "Well then, nice talking to you," Jerry continued on nervously, "Lots to do today. Oh, look, I'm late already. If you'll excuse me…" Jerry sped out of the elevator. Sonny's eyes followed him.

* * *

_Lulu found herself looking up at the stars again. She looked over at Johnny, hands tucked under his head, looking up at the stars too. Something was wrong with that. Something…something happened before. She shook it out of her mind._

_"I like it here," she said, returning her gaze to the stars. "It's peaceful."_

_Johnny nodded. "This can be our place, if you want, just you and me. We can stay here as long as we want."_

_"I-I don't want to leave here Johnny." Lulu answered, although she couldn't exactly say why, but the thought of leaving this place scared her._

_"Then we won't." Johnny said, smiling. "We can just stay here together, forever."_

_"Forever." Lulu thought that felt like a long time, but she wasn't ready to leave, so she just smiled and nodded._

* * *

Lucky came back into the room with a duffel bag.

"What's that?" Nik asked.

"Familiar voices." Lucky said, matter of factly. He pulled out a stereo, and a stack of cds. "B.B, Ella, Billie, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters. The Temptations. Gladys Knight and the Pips. Great stuff. Lulu and I both spent hours growing up listening to dad's old collection. His was on vinyl. I just thought that if he couldn't be here…I don't know, that this might remind Lulu." He plugged in the stereo, and popped in a cd. A bass guitar lazily floated up from the stereo.

"Ugh. What is this?" Nikolas wrinkled his nose.

Lucky rolled his eyes. "You know, bro, they did continue to make music after Mozart died. Why don't you try and brush up on music from the past 100 years or so. This is the Temptations, and it so happens to be the music I danced around the house with Lulu to while we were growing up." Lucky closed his eyes and swayed to the beat. "I got sunshine, on a cloudy day…" he began to sing. Nik winced again. Lucky continued louder, "When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May." Delighting in his brother's misery in anything without ¾ timing, he continued, even louder, and held his hand out to Elizabeth, who was beside herself with laughter, to dance. They both swayed to the song, glancing over occasionally, at Nikolas' newfound grumpiness, now just an act to keep the entertainment going. That is why no one saw Sam standing in the doorway.

* * *

_Lulu heard music floating up from the car stereo._

_"Hmmm…I like this song. It reminds me of….something. I forget now, but it makes me happy. It reminds me of…dancing, I think."_

_"Would you like to dance?" Johnny asked. "We can dance here." He rolled off the car and extended a hand for her. Lulu took it, and they began to dance, slowly and a little awkwardly, but she liked being close to him in this place. It seemed like they had been here an awfully long time. Lulu wondered if they would stay and watch the sun come up._

* * *

Jerry sauntered into Alexis' office, and smiled coyly at her

"Alexis darling, do you have time for lunch? I'm a hungry man, and I could eat, well…." He eyed her appreciatively. Alexis blushed and fidgeted with her paperwork.

"Actually, Jerry," she blushed nervously, "I'm a little busy right now. Have you heard about Michael?"

"Horrible, horrible thing," Jerry's contrite act was convincing, "I hope they catch the bastard who did it. I'm just beside myself with grief. If only someone would comfort me…" He lamented, leaning into Alexis' space and playing with her hair.

"I really am busy," Alexis whispered, losing resolve quickly, "I…uhhh….maybe another time?"

"Awww….what are you working so hard on, my love?" he stroked her cheek, and attempted to look at the file she was reading. Alexis snapped it shut, quickly.

"Jerry," she said coyly, "I…uhh…I can't focus on my work while you're here, and I really need to…ahem…focus…on my…uhh…work."

"Very well then. A rain check?" he asked, pulling her into a kiss. A knock sounded at the door. "Miss Davis is in a meeting!" Jerry called out. The door opened. Jerry sighed and looked to see who had spoiled his afternoon.

"Jerry?" Jax looked genuinely shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was…just enquiring about what the DA's office intended to do about Michael." Jerry said quickly, hoping Jax hadn't caught his pause. "And, you know, I'm really satisfied with what the justice department is doing to find the brutes who did this to Michael….but…but…you know, I really should go and visit my nephew. Umm, keep up the good work, Ms. Davis. Jasper." He walked very quickly out of the office.

"Thanks." Alexis looked relieved, and wiped her mouth. "Did you find anything? Because if I have to kiss that bastard again after he poisoned my nephew, I think I'm going to have to be sick."

Jax sighed. "No, but the information you found in Jerry's apartment was very helpful. We just got there too late. They moved him again. I need you to keep it up, Alexis. Just a little bit longer. Please. I have to find my brother. I have to find out where that bastard is keeping him so that I can bring him home safe."

Alexis shook it out of her head. "How's Michael? How's Carly?" she asked, sympathetically.

Jax sighed again. "Carly's heartbroken. Alexis, I – I don't know what to do. Michael's in a coma, and I'm not sure he's going to make it out, and I want to be there for her, but it feels like Carly is a million miles away, and what if you find something new about Jerry? I can't just leave her."

Alexis took her good friend's hand, "We'll figure something out, okay. You should go and be with your wife."

Jax looked at her, "You're okay?"

"I'm okay. What are friends for?"

* * *

Jerry cut his way back through the courthouse, and bumped into Mac Scorpio, now rested, clean-shaven, and in a very nice looking grey suit.

"Commissioner." He greeted him bluntly, eager to be on his way. Mac laughed at that.

"Jerry." Mac stepped in front of him, staring him straight in the eye. "So where were you yesterday evening?" Jerry looked at him calculatingly for a second, before going into protest mode.

"Well, I was out of town conducting business. Surely, you can't be implying that I shot my own nephew, Commissioner Scorpio. I could have your badge for that. It's completely unfounded, and quite frankly, I'm insulted." He moved to walk off. Mac stepped in his path.

"Why, of course not, Jerry. Only a complete psychopath would shoot his own nephew in the head. You know, the kind who blow up buildings, and poison innocent people for months. Certainly no one could accuse you of being that." He looked at Jerry pointedly.

"I suggest you look elsewhere, Commissioner Scorpio. You look too hard in my direction and you might not like what you find."

"Oh, I'm just looking at the evidence as it comes in. Certainly, if you had nothing to do with the shooting, it will clear your name. I wouldn't worry too much about me, anyway. Oh, but I've got a speech to give in just a little bit. You should come. I think you'll find it illuminating."

* * *

Carly sat staring into nothingness. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Jax, what the heck took you so l—" she turned. It wasn't Jax. "What the hell are you doing here? Get out. Now. Or I will call security." Sonny couldn't quite look her in the eye, but he stood his ground.

"Carly, I need to spend time with my son."

"The hell you do! You put him here! What the hell were you thinking, Sonny? I'll tell you what you were thinking! You weren't thinking Sonny. And someone was thinking, and they probably thought they'd kill you, but then they saw Michael. And Michael's the one lying in that bed right now instead of you!" Carly dissolved into tears.

"Carly, I need to spend time with Michael." He squeezed his hand. "Hey buddy! It's dad. I'm here for you." He tried to put on a cheerful voice for his son.

"Sonny!" Carly said desperately. It felt like she was losing her mind. "Don't make me do this Sonny! Don't make this any harder than it is. I don't want you around my son anymore!" The harshness of the statement made Sonny whip his head around.

"He's my son, too. Carly. No one keeps me from my kids."

"He was shot, Sonny. He was shot by one of your enemies. How can you stand around here like that while they're still out there, Sonny? What do you want? Do you want them to come back and finish the job? Do you? DO YOU? Don't you get it? Michael isn't safe while you're around."

"I—"Sonny tried to think of an argument, but the words couldn't come. "B-but, he's my son."

"No, Sonny. He's my son. Now get OUT!" Carly shoved him. Sonny was taken aback. "Get out!" Carly continued to shove him until he was out the door. Sonny didn't quite know what to do. He didn't want to upset Carly, but...he had to make Michael safe. He strode off down the hall with a new mission.

* * *

A modest gathering of reporters, and police officers mixed with onlookers, the mayor, the district attorney, and other city officials in a small conference room, as Mac Scorpio took to the podium. Squeezed behind a row full of flash lenses, Robin leaned over to Maxie.

"What is this announcement about?" Robin asked. "On the phone, you just said it was important."

"You'll see." Maxie said, playfully. She wasn't sure about this whole resignation thing, but she was glad to see Mac get away from his long shifts at the PCPD. Maybe then Mac could get something resembling a social life. She worried about him. Robin gave her a perplexed look. Mac was hushing the crowd.

"What about the warehouse shooting last night?" called a reporter out of turn somewhere at the back. The crowd murmured into life again. "Is this the beginning of another mob war in Port Charles?" Mac motioned for silence again.

"A lot of you might think that this press conference is about the situation last night. As much as I'd like to talk about it, everything is still under investigation at this point, and I'll ask you all to hold your questions until the end. I have something important to say. For twelve years now, I have had the honour and privilege of serving this city as its police commissioner. But I feel that with the escalating mob wars and violence in this town, the police force needs new direction, and fresh leadership. I have worked hard over the years to try and keep Port Charles as safe as I can for its citizens, many of whom I consider family and friends, but now the time has come when I must hand that responsibility over to someone else. That is why I stand before you today to resign as police commissioner."

The crowd erupted into shocked whispers. Robin looked nervously at Maxie and mouthed "What is he doing?"

"Port Charles deserves the best police force possible, and I feel that I have chosen a replacement who can bring the leadership this town needs to get rid of the mob violence once and for all. And so, it is with honour that I introduce you to your new police commissioner…." A figure was escorted into the room. A million flashbulbs went off. Robin and Maxie craned their necks to see who it was. Suddenly, Robin managed to get a look at the smiling face at the podium.

"Oh…… crap." She said. Robin didn't like this at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

**Chapter 7:**

"Port Charles deserves the best police force possible, and I feel that I have chosen a replacement who can bring the leadership this town needs to get rid of the mob violence once and for all. And so, it is with honour that I introduce you to your new police commissioner…." A figure was escorted into the room. A million flashbulbs went off. Robin and Maxie craned their necks to see who it was. Suddenly, Robin managed to get a look at the smiling face at the podium.

"Oh…… crap." She said. Robin didn't like this at all.

"I proudly present to you your former…and new police commissioner…Anna Devane." Mac said. A polite smattering of applause rang out in the small auditorium, and the flash bulbs went off again. The room dissolved into chattering as news reporters and onlookers processed the information. Robin remained transfixed. Anna was a contrast to the last time Robin saw her, no longer Bond-Girl/spy chic, or rock star groupie, but like a normal career woman. Robin looked up at her slightly in awe, remembering that last bit of stability in her childhood before the news came back that her parents were dead, and she was both warmed and intimidated by it. Maxie was shaking her excitedly.

"Isn't this the best!?" Maxie was exuberantly talking a mile a minute. "I mean, I just called you here because I knew that Mac was resigning, and well, part of me wanted you to talk him out of it, being the rational person that you are, but now your mom is taking over! That's great, Robin! Aren't you excited? Now she can be there for your pregnancy and….Robin?" Robin had gone absolutely still. She looked down and touched her abdomen lightly. She looked up at Maxie and smiled nervously.

"You haven't told her yet? Geez, and they say I'm the bad one. You are going to be in so much trouble!" Maxie nudged her, playfully.

"Okay, you're good at this. What's the best way to say 'Hey mom, I accidentally got knocked up by my boyfriend who isn't ready to be a father yet?'"

"I don't know. That sounded pretty good to me." Maxie said. "If you want, I can tell her for you?" Maxie got an impish grin on her face.

"You wouldn't!" Robin looked at Maxie, mortified.

"Oh, hey Anna! So what does the new police commissioner think now that she's going to be a grandma?" Maxie teased playfully…and a little too loudly, it turns out. The chatter in the room had died down, and now everyone was silently looking at Maxie, and Robin, whom they had immediately figured out was Anna's daughter due to uncanny resemblance. Someone off in the back coughed uncomfortably. Robin turned her horrified gaze from Maxie to Anna, standing on the stage.

Robin stared at Anna like a deer caught in the headlights and made a mental note to kill Maxie later. At first Anna simply looked stunned, but then her face softened into what could only be called pride, and she held her arms open to Robin.

"Is it true?" she mouthed. Robin nodded shyly. Anna excitedly motioned her up to the stage, and Robin, blushing under the new attention from the reporters, and all of the other people in the room, most of whom she hadn't imagined being privy to this moment, made her way up to the stage, where her mother greeted her warmly with a hug.

"So…what does the new police commissioner think of becoming a grandmother?" Yelled a reporter from the back, loudly. The conference room burst into laughter.

"She likes it just fine, thank you." Anna said fondly, breaking from the hug to answer the question. "And she's very proud of her daughter." She turned to put her hands on her daughter's cheeks.

* * *

Sam stood in the doorway to Lulu's hospital room, unnoticed, balancing a tray of coffee in one hand and a bag full of muffins and sandwiches in the other. She watched them, giggling, dancing, happy. Of course Elizabeth was there. She was family. Sam wasn't. And it burned. No matter how hard she tried, no matter who she was with, she was never family…not really. They didn't need her. That's why they hadn't called her. Sam heard sounds coming down the hall. She didn't want to be caught like this, standing outside in the hallway, pathetically staring into a hospital room watching her boyfriend laughing and dancing with his ex. She snuck around a bend, just as Bobbie happened along with the children.

"Daddy!"

"Hey! My main man, Cam! Come here buddy!"

"I'm sorry guys, but I got called in today, so I can't take the kids."

"That's alright," Elizabeth said, "I'm off-duty. I can take them. Cam, and Jake, and cousin Spencer can watch a movie, while mommy tries not to pass out on the couch, and then we're all going to take a very, very long, quiet, nap. Okay guys? That way you two can spend some quality time with your sister."

"Probably the most either of us has gotten to spend with her in years."

"Mmmhmm."

"Alright, Spencer, say goodbye to your daddy. Cam, Jake, you too."

"Mommy, why does Aunt Lulu have all of those bandages?"

"Aunt Lulu is sick right now. We'll talk about it in the car, okay?"

Sam watched Liz and the kids walk by with a twinge of contempt.

* * *

Sonny stood outside of Claudia Zacchara's hospital room. There were no guards. It would be too easy. He could just go in there and smother her with a pillow if he wanted. Then again, he could just as easily have left her inside the burning mansion. He flashed back to a picture of her, broken, on the floor crying, with flames climbing the furniture all around them. He could have left her there, but she looked so pathetic, so utterly helpless. He could have shot her as soon as he walked in. Why did he save her? She was the last. The old man died in the fire. He was sure of it. And the kid had died in a car accident…not his doing, but the result was the same.

Drawn into the room, he stood there in front of her hospital bed, listening to the same whirr and rush of the machinery as he had heard in Michael's room earlier. It would take so little to end it all. Turn off a machine. Inject something into her IV. A pillow on a chair in the corner of the room caught his eye. It would be so easy. He picked it up and stood there, before the bed, once again listening to the tortured breathing, knowing that at any minute he could end it all.

* * *

Bobbie tracked down Edward and Tracy Quartermaine, who were brow-beating Patrick Drake about the quality of medical care Michael and Lulu were receiving.

"…and when you treat that boy, young man, you remember that without the Quartermaines, there would be no hospital and you would have no job. Now, I want you to go, and I want you to call every expert in the field, and I want then all to have a copy of Michael's case by tomorrow morning. You hear me?"

"…and if Lulu doesn't wake up in the next 24 hours, I'm going to show you why they call me the mean Quartermaine. Do you understand me, Dr. Drake?"

Patrick looked at both of them, helpless, and took a few steps back. Bobbie had forgotten just how intimidating the Quartermaines could be when left unchecked. Good. She was going to need that intimidation when it came to convincing the board. Coolly, she tapped Patrick on the shoulder. He startled, and jumped, perhaps thinking there was another Quartermaine hemming him in.

"Dr. Drake, you have a consult in room 203." She insisted, motioning insistently for him to leave as fast as he could. Patrick looked at her gratefully, and turned back to the Quartermaines.

"Umm…sorry. I have matters to attend to. Rest assured that your family members will receive the utmost care." He said curtly, professionally. And his voice hardly squeaked at all. Bobbie was impressed. She had seen the Quartermaines reduce other doctors to tears.

"Ugh! This place has really gone downhill without Alan running it." Edward grumbled to no one in particular.

"Funny you should mention that, Edward," Bobbie started, "because I was just looking for you…for both of you. I need your help convincing the hospital board that Dr. Ford isn't the right guy for the Chief of Staff position. He's got no leadership skills, he's got no experience, and worse, I think he's going to run this place into the ground." Whispering quietly to them, she outlined her plan.

Dr. Ford came down the hallway, and spotted them there, conspiring. They spotted him too, and all three of them looked up at him suspiciously. His fists clenched. He had taken care of problems like them before. Perhaps they would have to meet the same fate as Alan.

* * *

Mayor Floyd hoped that his pleasantly surprised face was convincing. He shook Anna Devane's hand warmly, and bid her welcome, making sure to keep his most winning smile on, reassuring her that Mac spoke highly of her. Politely excusing himself, he shot a scowl at Mac on his way out. Two women were running law and order in his town. Heaven help them all! Heaven help his re-election campaign.

"Anna, this is our district attorney, Alexis Davis. Alexis, meet Anna Devane." Mac introduced them. The women sized each other up.

"Nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure."

Still smiling their best on camera smiles, Anna leaned over to Alexis, even as she was greeting the next person in line and whispered, "I don't think the mayor likes me very much."

"You'd better get used to it unless you plan on growing a Y chromosome." Alexis whispered back.

"I take it he doesn't like you very much either then?"

"Nope. We're going to have to look out for each other. Any enemy of the mayor is a friend of mine."

* * *

Bobbie found Sonny standing over Claudia, gripping a pillow tightly with both hands.

"Sonny?" she asked softly. Sonny startled. Bobbie put a firm hand on the pillow. "Maybe you should leave and go see Michael?" she hinted strongly.

"I've been to see Michael. Carly won't let me, Bobbie. She won't let me see my son." He pleaded.

Bobbie frowned and sighed. "She's hurting right now, Sonny, just like you are. Give her time."

"How much time do I give her? What if – what if he?" One of the monitors beeped, and Claudia took a deep breath. They both turned and regarded the real possibility that neither Claudia, or Michael would make it. When Bobbie turned back to look at Sonny, she found that he was gone.

In the hallway, Sonny ran into Patrick Drake.

"The prodigal father returns." Patrick said sarcastically.

"How's my son?" Sonny said, desperate for any information.

"You'd know the answer if you were visiting with him right now." Patrick answered coldly.

Sonny sighed. "Look, I know that. It's just that things are complicated right now. Carly – Carly doesn't want me near him right now. She doesn't think it's safe, so…I'm abiding by that right now, okay? Just tell me how my son is."

Patrick took a long hard look at Sonny. "Your sons vital signs are stronger. He's still in a coma. Brain activity hasn't changed."

Sonny worked to comprehend. "What does that mean? Is that good? Is that bad? Is my son going to wake up? Are you going to have to do another surgery? What?"

"It's…the vital signs are good, but…well, the longer Michael stays in a coma…."

Sonny nodded, the gravity of the situation hitting him. "He might not come out?"

Patrick nodded, and then started to walk off. Sonny grabbed his arm. "You don't think much of me, do you, doc?"

"No, actually. No I don't. Your child was critically injured and you just went off somewhere to play out that little mob war of yours."

"That little mob war means that no one is left to injure my son again. You don't understand these things. You're not in this business, Patty-boy, and you're not a father. And from what Robin tells me, you don't want to be one either."

"I would be there. If my son or daughter was injured like that, I would be there."

"It doesn't work like that, Patrick. Fatherhood isn't just about when they're sick and dying. Fatherhood is an every day thing. You have to be there for them every day. Robin deserves that kind of man for her child. If you're not going to be that kind of man, I suggest you step away now so that she can find him."

"Robin and I are fine with the arrangement we have right now, thanks."

"For now. For now it's fine, but when that kid comes, and you walk, or shrug it off, it's the kid who's going to be feeling it. I ask you, what's worse? A guy like me who's there every day, a guy who talks to his kids and puts them to bed at night? Or a guy like you, who misses his kid's life but would be around for his death?" Sonny walked off, leaving Patrick in the hallway to think.

* * *

Robin sat in one of the guest chairs in her mother's new office, listening to her excitedly go over how she was going to decorate it.

"And I'm going to get new chairs, and some new carpeting – Oh! And this wall here? I'm going to save that entirely for pictures of my new grandchild…and you of course. And…the father?" she asked, suspiciously. Robin sighed.

"Patrick is the father. And before you even bring it up, we are NOT getting married." Robin looked at her mother defiantly. Anna frowned.

"Oh."

"You're disappointed."

"Well, no. Not exactly. Not really. I'm always proud of you." Anna came to crouch beside Robin's chair. "I just want you to be happy. I thought that… Don't you love Patrick?"

"It's complicated. He's not sure he wants to be a father. In fact, he was dead set against it, which is why – Look, you've missed a lot. I – Okay, let's start at the beginning. Remember last year when we were talking about marriage and having kids?"

"And you said you didn't know if you were ready?"

"Well, it started the thought rolling around in my head. Actually, the thought was already there, but I started thinking about it more and more. And then there was Stacy…"

"Stacy?"

"Well she was this patient of mine. She was expecting, and she was HIV positive, and she didn't have much of anyone to turn to. She was doing it all on her own, and I don't usually get personally involved, but, I don't know…she just sucked me in. And then all of a sudden it was all I could think about – you know, being a mother, the chance to go through that. And Patrick…"

"Patrick didn't want to be a father right away."

"No. In fact, Patrick never wants to be a father. And we talked about it and we argued about it, and I guess what it came down to was whether I wanted Patrick more, or I wanted to be a mother more."

"But, Patrick must have come around…"

"Oh no. We broke up. I went looking for a father for my baby, and Patrick…well, Patrick went back to sleeping with nurses."

"So, how did Patrick wind up…I mean how did you?" Anna asked finally, exasperated. Robin gave her a look, enjoying her mother's rambling. You know what I mean, Robin!" Robin laughed, but remembering sombered her mood.

"Georgie. When Georgie died, it was just too much for me. It was right around Christmas, and… I know you didn't really get a chance to know Georgie the last time you were in town, but she was this great kid – smart, really smart, and kind, and just excited about life. She was going to study overseas next year, and she was happy about seeing the little kids' faces at the hospital Christmas party. And Mac – I've never seen Mac like that. I just knew that I had to hold it together for everyone, for Mac, and Maxie, and Felicia, but when it was over, I felt like I was going to fall apart."

"So you went to visit Patrick."

"And that's when we…that's when we made the baby." She touched her abdomen fondly.

"Oh, I'm so excited! This is going to be fabulous! We're going to go shopping, and buy maternity clothes, and set up a nursery, and go to birthing classes, and…" Anna continued on. Robin looked worried. As usual, her mother had gone from zero sixty, and now was hitting her parental overdrive.

* * *

Sam peeked around Alexis' office door. Alexis was on the phone, and motioned 'one minute' with her finger, while wrapping up a phone call.

"Mmmhmm…okay…yeah. No, that will be fine. Wednesday afternoon then. I'll talk to you then." Alexis hung up the phone and surveyed her daughter. Sam awkwardly sat down across from her and put a brown paper bag and a tray of coffees on the desk. "You brought me coffee?! Just what I needed right now! That's so sweet, and," Alexis took the nearest one and opened it up and took a sip, " and it's lukewarm, but that's a really nice gesture Sam."

"Actually…it wasn't for you."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No no, go ahead and drink it. It's just I – I was wondering if I could watch the girls tonight."

"Really? I mean, I'm ecstatic to have you watch your sisters, but I just thought you'd be with Lucky right now."

"I – I tried anyway. I went to the hospital, you know. And I brought coffee, and food, and did all the things that I thought a good girl friend should do. It's just – Elizabeth was there." Sam sighed. "And I know she's sort of family, and she's known them all forever. And then the kids came, and I just felt..." Sam gestured for the word with her hands.

"…unwanted?" Alexis tried.

"And I know it's wrong to feel this way, but, I just get so frustrated, you know. It would just be easier if Lucky were just Lucky, and Elizabeth and those kids didn't exist, because I want to be a part of his life, but…"

"but they do exist. And you can't be a part of that part of his life."

"Yeah, so I figured that maybe I'd try spending some time with my own family." Sam looked at Alexis helplessly. Alexis smiled.

"Well, you're never unwanted where Kristina is concerned. She's been asking about you. So go ahead. You can give Viola the night off if you want. I'll be home late. I have a lot of paperwork to look over tonight. Oh, and Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not unwanted with me either."

Sam smiled a lopsided smile and nodded, looking away. She wasn't quite sure how to process that, but she didn't want Alexis to see how much it meant to her. "Umm…thanks, Alexis." She replied, a bit throatily, and headed for the door.

"Oh, and Sam?" Alexis said anxiously as Sam reached the door. "Could I have one of those sandwiches? I'm starved, and I skipped lunch."

* * *

Patrick handed the pizza boy the cash, and stared lovingly at his hot, fresh, steaming extra-large pizza with olives and extra cheese.

"Oh baby, I've been waiting for you all day! Come to papa!" he said seductively to the pie. The pizza boy gave him an odd look that seemed to question both Patrick's sanity, and lack of love life at the same time. "Don't worry, baby, he just doesn't understand our love," he said for the teen's benefit, making a show of cradling the pizza box as he closed the door. His stomach was growling. With a skip in his step, he carefully placed the box on the table, and opened it up, letting the greasy steam waft up into his face and inhaled deeply. It was transcendent. He carefully lifted a thin, floppy piece to his open, salivating mouth and… someone knocked at the door. Frowning sympathetically at his slice, he carefully folded it back into the box, and made a mental note to remove whomever was behind the door from his Christmas list. He opened the door. It was Robin.

"You have no idea what I've been through today," she said, throwing her bag on the ground, and leaning her forehead into Patrick's chest. Patrick, wrapped his arms around her in what he hoped was a comforting manner, while trying to avoid touching her with grease-covered fingers. He stared longingly at his pizza.

* * *

Anna flipped through the last page of the background report, and closed the file folder, moving it aside, only to see that the one underneath was labelled 'Corinthos, Volume II".

"Ugh!" she screamed, and let her head fall on the pile of "background reports" Mac had managed to compile for her. Something told her that it would be a while before her office got redecorated. A light knock sounded at the door, and it opened a crack.

"Everything all right in here?" Alexis peeked her head around the door. "Working late?"

"I never realized how many different mobs could co-exist simultaneously in one small area." Anna looked frustratedly at the reports on her desk.

"They do seem to be drawn to Port Charles for one reason or another." Alexis shrugged. "You get used to it."

"Nobody should have to get used to it in the first place." Anna sighed. "Not to mention that Mayor Floyd has made no fewer than 7 calls to me since this afternoon to check my progress on the shooting of that poor little boy. I need to get out of this place. Do you know a place I can get a good stiff drink? I think I need one. Between these reports and the mayor calling every five minutes…"

"Ouch. I wondered why phone was so quiet. Tell you what, since you were so nice in taking the mayor off of my hands today, it's my treat." Alexis motioned to the door as Anna grabbed her jacket and bag.

* * *

Sam sat cuddled up with Kristina and Molly on the couch, both dressed for bed, as she finished off their bedtime story. She was clearly unhappy with the ending.

"And the brave king returned to his queen and their children, and the evil witch who cast a spell on him was forever imprisoned beneath the mountain."

"Yaaaaaaay!!" Kristina applauded the ending. Sam frowned.

"Evil witch, huh? That's a little much. I've got to have a talk with Alexis about the kind of storybooks, she's buying for you girls." Sam thumped the book shut in frustration.

"You didn't like the ending, Sam?" Kristina was confused. "The king and queen and all of the little princes and princesses got back together again. Everybody lived happily ever after."

"Not everyone gets to live happily ever after, Kristina." Sam said flatly, with a sigh. She forced a smile for her little sister, and ruffled her hair a little. "All right, little princesses, time for bed."

* * *

"So," Patrick said, sitting Robin down on the couch, where they could be close to his pizza, "tell me all about your horrible day." He reopened the pizza box and reclaimed his slice. "What happened that got you all twisted into knots?"

"Well, let me tell you, things were already bad when I had Tracy Quartermaine stalking me up and down the halls all morning yelling at – hey, is that pizza?!"

Patrick stopped with the pizza just in front of his mouth. "……yes?"

"Great! I'm starved." Robin took the slice out of Patrick's hands and shoved it into her mouth adoringly. "Mmm…oh God, this is fabulous." Patrick looked on in horror, as she managed to obliterate his slice of pizza in about 5 seconds. Still chewing, she looked towards the box. Patrick panicked.

"I – I had no idea – Wait! You said you didn't even like olives on pizza!" he cried, wounded.

"I know, but," Robin objected while taking another piece out of the box, "I don't know, I think I'm just craving it right now." She shoved the piece into her mouth and chewed heartily, while Patrick made horrified girlish sounds of protest. "You don't mind sharing, do you?" she said, already reaching in for her third piece. "I mean, after the day I had, I think I at least deserve a little pizza. So anyway, after that I went to Mac's press conference and he resigned as police commissioner, and you'll never believe who the new commissioner is….my mother!"

"So that explains why my sky light was broken when I came home…"

"She says she's sorry about that, by the way. And I'm sitting there, completely caught off guard that I haven't told my mother I'm pregnant yet."

"You didn't tell your mother you were pregnant?!"

"Shut up. This is my story." Robin grabbed another piece of pizza out of the box. "So, Maxie and I were sitting there in the conference, and I was panicking, and what does she do but blurt out that I'm pregnant in front of everyone. Reporters. My mother. Everyone. You should have seen my mom's face. She had no idea."

* * *

"I, of course knew all about the pregnancy," Anna gestured wildly, already having downed a few martinis, "I mean, honestly, I was a spy. Does she think she can hide anything from me? Honestly! …Can I have your olive?" Anna reached into Alexis' martini glass and plucked the green thing out, not giving Alexis time to protest. "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother. Do you have kids, Alexis?"

"Three. All daughters, actually. The oldest is watching the other two right now."

"Oh, what about the father?"

"Fathers. It's complicated."

"I see. That's what Robin said. 'It's complicated, Mom'," Anna did a slightly whiney and high pitched imitation of Robin's voice, and then giggled. "She's so stubborn, you know. She wants to do everything on her own. She gets that from her father you know!" Alexis gave her a doubtful look. "Okay, and me …a little. Stop laughing."

Alexis tried to hide her laughter by taking a careful sip of her martini. It almost worked. "Some men are just not meant to be fathers. Robin's a smart girl. I'm sure she can more than handle taking care of her child on her own." Alexis defended her own position on the subject with lawyerly ferocity.

"I know, I know," Anna slurred slightly, "but it's a lot of work to do all by yourself – a demanding job, trying to have a romantic life, taking care of a child…"

* * *

"…taking care of my mother, who is just going to insist on being there for every single event of my pregnancy – sonograms, birthing classes…she trailed off, looking at Patrick intently. She'd brought up the pregnancy again, and she could tell by the horror on his face as she paused to take another piece of pizza that he didn't want to talk about it. Robin knew that she'd much rather do those things with him, but that just wasn't going to happen. "Look. I'm sorry. I'm babbling. How was your day?"

"Well, I also ran into the Quartermaines…two of them. And I ran into Sonny, and we had a talk, about things, and I've really been thinking about what we talked about, and I wanted to tell you…"

Robin stifled a yawn and rubbed at her eyes. Popping the last of the pizza into her mouth, she said, "Oh, Patrick, I know you don't like Sonny very much, but I just don't think I can stay awake long enough to debate with you about why he's not as bad as you think he is. I'm exhausted. And my mom wants to take me shopping tomorrow, and I haven't even had time to talk to my Uncle Mac about why he quit as commissioner. We can fight about Sonny tomorrow, okay?" Robin looked at him pleadingly, and laid her head on his shoulder. Patrick grunted his permission, and she got up and gave him a greasy pizza kiss on the forehead, before leaving.

"…and you leave before I can tell you that I want to be a father. Just great." Patrick flipped open the pizza box in annoyance. "And you ate the last of my pizza. Perfect." Patrick took out the lone slice of olive that remained in the pizza box, and popped it into his mouth.

* * *

Sam flipped through the tv channels angrily, watching commercial after commercial with happy familys laughing and frolicking through giant fields of grass. A knock sounded at the door.

"…Lucky?" She bounded to the door, and opened it. "Hi! I – I wasn't expecting to see you." She threw her arms around his neck.

"I was at the hospital. Haven't you heard? Lulu was in a car crash. I – I kind of thought that you might show up, but you didn't." Lucky sounded disappointed. "And I was sitting there in a room all alone with Nikolas, who spends most of his time talking to Emily, and Tracy, who spends most of her time talking to Alan. And after a while, I thought that I had to get out of there before I developed an invisible friend of my own. You wouldn't want a job as an invisible friend, by any chance?" He stared at her hopefully. She laughed.

"Actually, I was feeling a little invisible today. I came to see you, and I thought I'd bring you something to eat and some coffee," she motioned to the bag on the table, and the tray of now cold coffee. "But when I got there, you were there with Elizabeth, and you were dancing and laughing, and then the kids came, and I…"

"You thought you weren't welcome." Lucky interjected. Sam nodded.

"I thought I wasn't needed."

"Well, you're needed now. You wouldn't mind listening to me ramble on about childhood memories, would you? I could tell you about the time where I convinced Lulu that she could dig through to China in her sandbox?"

"I'd like that very much." She motioned him over to the sofa, hoping this story ended a lot better than Kristina's fairy tale.

* * *

Ford watched Bobbie carefully as she stood by the elevators at the end of her shift. He'd follow her down to the parking lot and then he'd take care of her before this whole thing got out of hand. Suddenly, Noah Drake strode down the hall, and smiled and walked over when he saw Bobbie.

"End of your shift? Going home?" he greeted her.

"Actually, I think I might go over to Kelly's and have a coffee while I try and work on some flyers for a rally I'm organizing. Tell me something. What do you think of Ford?"

Noah scrubbed his hand through his hair, and sighed, "Well, he's not the most pleasant guy on the planet, is he? Truthfully, I don't like him one bit. I tried to get a clinical study approved last week, and he looked at me like I had three heads."

Bobbie smiled, satisfied with his answer. "Well, how would you like to help me find a way to get rid of the guy? There's free coffee in it for you." She coaxed coyly.

"Oh, well as long as there's coffee, and a certain pretty nurse." He winked at her as the elevator doors opened and they both got on.

Dr. Ford growled, and stalked down the hall. It would have to wait another day, but he didn't like the way this was going already.


	8. Chapter 8

Anna's head pounded. She sat at her desk and stared at the morning newspaper, which had a bold headline that read, "Will Commissioner Grandma Retire Criminals?" She made a mental note to see if the author of the article had any outstanding parking tickets. Sighing, Anna threw the paper down on her desk, and then brought her head down on top of it with a resounding thud.

* * *

Maxie came down the stairs to the smell of coffee and sizzling bacon. Mac was leaning back against the kitchen counter, dressed casually, reading a newspaper, chuckling softly to himself, with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

"You're up?" Maxie said, incredulously.

"And why wouldn't I be? The sun is shining. The birds are chirping." Mac beamed and gestured dramatically.

"You're unemployed." Maxie said pointedly, stating the obvious.

"Blissfully unemployed." Mac corrected her. "It's been a long time since I've been able to wake up and not worry about the mob wars, or the mayor, or politics, or wearing a suit….Ahh, life is good." He took another swig out of his coffee cup.

"Well, and don't get me wrong, because I'm happy you're happy but…well, what are you going to do with the rest of your life, Mac? You're not just going to sit around the house all day, are you?"

"Oh no. I think maybe I'll take a nice long walk down by the piers later, and take in some fresh air."

"Mac…"

"Hey, don't worry about me, okay. It's my job to worry about you. Now have a nice day at work." He kissed her on the head.

"Actually, there is no work today. Kate shut the office down for a couple of days because of Michael. So I'm just going to run a few errands, and go visit a friend or two."

"…Maxie…" Mac frowned at her. "It's not that Spinelli kid, is it?"

"Hey, don't worry about me," Maxie said with fake admonishment, "it's my job to worry about you." She winked and grabbed some toast and bacon on her way out the door. Mac watched her leave and then snuck to the front hall closet, where he pulled out the duffel bag that he had gotten up early to pack. Double checking the entrance, he set out on his real day's activities. No sitting around the house for Mac Scorpio.

* * *

Jason sat by Michael's hospital bed and watched as Carly and Jax talked to yet another specialist out in the hallway. Tearful and desperate, Carly clutched at Jax's jacket sleeve, her knuckles white. Sonny stood off on his own down the hall, just close enough to listen, without really being a part of it all. He had tried to buy and bully his way to finding his own specialists too, but Jax's clean reputation and international business standing had gotten results faster. The doctor shook his head sorrowfully, and shook Jax's hand while Carly turned to sob into his shoulder. Sonny turned away and kicked a wall.

"I wonder if this was what it was like," Jason said flatly, to no one in particular, to Michael, he guessed. "I wonder if this was what it was like for – for Monica and Alan, when…when I was…" He trailed off. It was hard to think of that kid lying in the hospital bed before he woke up as himself. He supposed it was, but Jason didn't know that person. And he didn't know the Quartermaines when he woke up either. He knew what it was like afterwards, how they were by his bedside all the time, never leaving, but he never thought about what it was like before, and whether they were there. He had memories, or at least fuzzy notions, of half waking up and a presence. He wondered if Michael felt his presence, or Carly's presence, or even missed Sonny's presence. And then he wondered if Michael would wake up a different person who didn't want to see any of them. A feeling dawned on Jason that made him very uncomfortable. Suddenly, the sight of Michael lying in the bed, his head covered with bandages, was very disturbing.

* * *

Alexis gently knocked and then peeked through Anna's office door to find her, face down on what she suspected was an identical copy of the morning paper to the one tucked under her arm.

"Commissioner Grandma is busy," mumbled Anna, head still down on the desk.

"I brought you coffee?" Alexis set her offering down on the desk. Wearily, Anna raised her head, opened the cup of coffee and sniffed.

"Too much cream. Not enough alcohol," she deadpanned, and then smiled, taking a sip, before pausing. "This isn't mobster coffee, is it? I've heard they run a coffee import business as a front."

"You know, I need my morning coffee, so I make it a point to never ask. That way, I don't have to get into all of that pesky conflict of interest business." Alexis said, taking a sip from her own cup.

"Conflict of interest? Last time I was commissioner, I fell in love with a mobster." Alexis spit her coffee out. "I know. Horrible, right? I didn't even know until it was too late though. They're crafty like that."

"I….uhh…I'm sure it was totally understandable." Alexis said quickly, mopping up a few drops of coffee from the desk, and her skirt.

"It's okay. You know, the funny thing is that he may actually have been the love of my life. Must have been the dimples." Alexis choked on her coffee again. "Are you alright, Alexis? I know. This is all very shocking. But I swear to you, they can be very charming when they're all dimples and accents. Like, for example…" Anna ruffled through some files. "…this guy." She picked out a file folder. "This Jerry Jax guy. Do you know anything about him? Look at him, smiling all smugly in his mug shot. I bet he fancies himself a real charmer. Seriously, Alexis, if there's something wrong with your coffee, we can get you another one."

As Alexis began to nervously concoct a reason to excuse herself, Lucky Spencer knocked and peeked his head through the door.

"Commissioner, morning shift is all here, ready to meet you," he said.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to cut our morning chat short then, Alexis," Anna said, eyeing her suspiciously. "Officer…?"

"Spencer. Detective Lucky Spencer, actually." Lucky said proudly.

"Son of Luke Spencer?"

"You know my dad?"

"Only by reputation. Robert used to like to talk about how he and Luke Spencer saved the world once upon a time -- pure hyperbole I bet -- and how the rest of us should be forever grateful." Anna said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah. That's the way my dad tells it too." Lucky said with a bit of a smirk.

"Detective Spencer, do you know anything about computers?"

"Umm…a bit. It used to be somewhat of a hobby of mine."

"Good. I think someone has been trying to access my computer all morning. Would you try and put a stop to it for me?"

"Will do."

* * *

Spinelli sat on the penthouse couch, hunched over his keyboard, surrounded by half-eaten bags of barbeque chips and empty bottles of orange soda. He tapped in another sequence of keystrokes. And another. And another. Frustratedly, he banged on the keys again. "Access denied." The screen gloated at him. No one thwarted the Jackal.

A very demanding knock sounded at the door. Spinelli would know it anywhere. He scurried over and unlocked the door, throwing it wide.

"Maximista! Come in! Come in!" he motioned her in and sat her down on the couch, next to his beloved notebook, which he picked up, and began pounding away at again, redoubling his efforts. Maxie glared at Spinelli, who was ignoring her for a glowing screen and a keyboard. She cleared her throat. "One minute, Maximista. Just have to try this one last thing…" Maxie swatted the notebook closed.

"What are you doing?" she asked casually, ignoring his look of surprise.

"But – but you can't – but the Jackal was…" protested Spinelli.

"Yeah, yeah. Doing super secret Jackal things for Jason and Sonny. You haven't been out of this apartment since the night Michael got shot, have you?" She picked up an empty chip bag and looked inside. "You haven't been eating right either. When was the last time that you had a real meal, Spinelli?"

"The Jackal most delightedly subsists on orange soda and barbeque chips. Stone Cold provides an unlimited supply, so long as the Jackal provides his special service."

"Spinelli, look at yourself. You haven't eaten. You haven't slept, and…" she leaned over and sniffed. "Spinelli! You haven't showered either, have you? Look at your clothes! They're covered in an orange….residue."

Spinelli sighed. "Sometimes, when his attention is needed elsewhere, the Jackal is a messy eater." He said, embarrassed.

"That's it!" Maxie stood and yanked Spinelli off the couch, and began shoving him towards the stairs. "If Jason isn't going to look out for your wellbeing, I'm going to have to do it. Go upstairs. Take off those clothes. Burn them. Then get into a shower, and don't come out for at least fifteen…no, make that twenty minutes. I'm going to go find you some fruit, or vegetables, or something that doesn't leave…orange residue, at least. Go!" She shooed Spinelli.

* * *

Monica sat at her desk in the rehab center, and tapped her pen irritatedly against her journal. Today's assignment was "Make a Plan for Your Life after You Leave the Center". So far she had managed to write the title -- and only the title. She was supposed to her reasons for staying sober, and describe all of the great goals and accomplishments she would set out to do now that she'd beaten her alcohol addiction. It was enough to make her want to drink all over again. What did she have? Her husband, the one constant in the last 30 years of her life, was gone. Two of her children were dead, and a third one might as well be for all she saw of him. Her grandson, she had found out earlier, via a phone call from Tracy, was lying comatose in a hospital bed. What did she have left to return to but a mostly empty mansion filled with the few remaining members of her dead husband's family, and a job that seemed almost completely foreign to her without running into Alan in the halls every day, and meeting him for lunch. It seemed like such an empty place now, familiar faces seemingly replaced entirely with new ones overnight. She wondered at how quickly the people that she had never realized she depended on so much had disappeared.

A knock sounded softly at the door, and she looked up to see Jason peek his head in.

"Jason!" she exclaimed, relieved to see a familiar face, and relieved to have temporary reprieve from feeling empty about her life. She walked to the door and gave him a hug, and he let her, but squirmed uncomfortably and looked at the corner when she let him go. "I'm so happy you came to visit with me, Jason," she said, as she pulled out a chair for him. "I think this place is driving me crazier than I was before I got here." She laughed nervously, very aware that Jason might bolt for the door at any minute.

"Yeah…" Jason acknowledged her joke non-committally, and sat down on the chair hesitantly, still not quite looking at her. Monica wasn't sure if she was imagining things, but although his face looked just as flat as ever, he seemed to be a little bit upset at something. She took the chair opposite him, and reached out to take his hand. He flinched, but he let her hold it.

"Jason?" she asked, hoping to prompt some rare conversation from her son.

"Michael was shot in the head. He's in a coma now." Jason said perfunctorily, still not meeting her eyes. Monica sighed.

"I know. Tracy called me. I'm so very sorry, Jason." Monica squeezed his hand, hoping it was comforting. "I know how much he means to you. It must be so difficult for you to watch him like this." His eyes flicked towards her for a brief second, touched on her face to gauge her expression, then looked away again.

"Is that what it was like for you when you were waiting for him—" Jason started and then stopped and corrected himself, although it seemed strange to him, "Is that what it was like when you were waiting for _me_ to wake up?"

"Oh Jason…" she started.

"I don't know – I don't know what to do. Carly, she just sits there, day and night. She won't leave. She won't eat. All she does is cry. And she won't let Sonny come in, so he just stands outside in the hallway, looking through the door. That's all we can do. Just sit there and wait. I'm not good at sitting and waiting. I want to do something. I—I can't cure him. I can't kill the guy who did it yet. All I can do is sit. Now, I'm sitting with you." He pulled his hand away frustratedly.

"You're right. You can't do anything for Michael right now. All you can do is sit there, and be there for him when he wakes up." Monica whispered. Jason snorted as the irony hit him.

"That's why you did it. That's why you were all standing around all of the time when I woke up, even after I told you to leave…even after I told you I didn't want you there. Because that's all you could do? What if – what if Michael doesn't want us there when he wakes up?" Jason seemed a bit confused and almost reluctant to hear the answer.

"I – I don't know Jason. We really never did learn the lesson to that one. You can either stay, despite his protests, and hope he comes back to you – and you know how that worked out. Or, you can leave him alone, and hope he comes back to you. That didn't work either, in your case. He may never come back to you, Jason. Or he might come back to you as if nothing ever happened." She snorted sarcastically. "Wouldn't that just be the day."

"How – how is it in this place? Are they treating you okay?"

Monica laughed at the forced show of concern. "They're treating me alright. I'm almost done treatment. I'm getting out soon. I'm not sure exactly what it is I have to come back to. I thought it was bad before, but now my grandson is in a coma. You don't want to make me another grandson, by any chance, do you?" Monica laughed, but Jason winced.

"My life isn't cut out for children." Jason said, almost bitterly.

"Isn't that the truth? Look what it's done to Michael. Look Jason, I don't know if you ever want a child of your own, but if you do, you have to start thinking about getting out of the business, now."

"I can't. What would I do? It's all I know. I can't do anything else. I can't even imagine a life outside of the business."

"You could be a doctor?" Monica said, a little too hopefully. Jason showed a rare smile. Monica beamed. It had been so long since she'd seen that smile. "Okay. Okay. Not a doctor. You could be a private investigator, or run a real business." Jason looked at her sceptically. "I don't know," Monica said, looking at the four pale walls that kept her from living her life at the moment, "but I do know that if you keep yourself locked away from the life you really want to be living, you're going to regret it Jason. Don't keep yourself from the life you want to live." Jason just nodded.

"I've got to go now." Jason got up and headed for the door. Monica followed.

"Thanks for visiting me, Jason," Monica said, giving him a hug. "I hope everything works out with Michael." Jason nodded.

"I hope everything works out with… this place." Jason said awkwardly, before walking out the door.

"Oh, I have a feeling it will." Monica said, returning to her desk to begin writing. She finally had an idea for her journal. She was just about to start writing again, but she realized she had something important to do first. So, for the second time that day, she picked up the telephone in her room, and began to dial a number that only she knew. There had been no answer before, but now a familiar voice answered on the other line.

"Hello, AJ. It's your mother. Are you sitting down? I have some news that you're not going to like."

* * *

Anna surveyed the ragtag team of officers before her. Some were relaxing casually against their desks, with a coffee in hand. One had what looked like powdered sugar and jelly stains on his uniform already. She could see that reforming this bunch would not be easy. How did Mac ever put up with this?

"Alright, as you may or may not have heard, my name is Anna Devane, and I'm the new police commissioner for Port Charles, which makes me your new boss. I've heard that locally, the Port Charles Police Department is sort of a joke, that we're soft on crime, and our city is overrun with mob-related activity. I want to let you know that this is completely unacceptable, and that starting today, we're going to change things. Specifically, I want to double our coverage of the docks, and the warehouse district, which are known to be organized crime hotbeds. I also want to see more uniforms around 'family friendly' places, like parks and schools. Above all, I want to make this town safe for regular families like yours and mine."

"Yes, Grannie!" called a voice from the back of the crowd. A couple of officers snickered

"Hey, Erickson, why don't you show some respect!" Detective Cruz already had the wayward by the shoulders and pushed him to the front of the crowd. "Apologize." He commanded.

"No apologies necessary, Detective. Erickson just volunteered himself to be the first participant in our new retraining program. As of today, you will all be treated like new recruits, and be subject to mandatory classes on special tactics, surveillance, following correct police procedure, protecting civilians, and for cases like Erickson, manners and respect. Everybody understand?"

The crowd of officers looked down and shuffled their feet nervously.

"Yes, Commissioner Devane," some answered glumly.

"Good."

* * *

Maxie carried a tray out from the kitchen. Spinelli was coming down the stairs, brushing wet, but still completely stringy and disarrayed hair out of his eyes. Maxie fixed her gaze on him.

"Stop!" she commanded. "Let's see. Turn around." Spinelli obliged. "Okay, no orange stains, you can go back to your computer…" Spinelli ran around the couch for his beloved laptop. "…right after you finish this salad." Spinelli, who had just curled his fingers around the machine, looked up at her, horrified.

"Jackals do not eat salad."

"Well, the Jackal is – great, now I'm doing it. Listen, Spinelli, I don't cook or make food for people. That was Georgie's thing, working at Kelly's, making dinner for the family. I don't like chopping vegetables. I don't like getting my perfectly manicured hands dirty. So when I make you a salad, you are going to eat that salad, and if you don't eat that salad, I'm going to hold you down and shove that salad in your mouth. Do you understand me, Spinelli? Now which is it going to be?" Spinelli briefly entertained the thought of Maxie lying on top of him, shovelling lettuce into his mouth, but decided that it would be more painful than pleasurable. He frowned.

"The Jackal – the Jackal will eat the salad." He pouted.

"Look, I even put orange salad dressing on for you…" Maxie urged him on. Spinelli unceremoniously shoved a heaping forkful of vegetables into his mouth, made a face, and started dutifully chewing.

"Mmmmnnf ermm mmyurrh yurmmmuh yummmurf maffwa rrrooo?" He asked, with his mouth full.

"Swallow first. I have no idea what you just said."

"You don't know what Commissioner Scorpio's new computer password is, do you?" Spinelli asked her, after swallowing.

"Firstly, I don't know. Secondly, even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. Thirdly, you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to hack into the police's files and tamper with their investigation. Fourthly, do you not read the news?" Spinelli, overwhelmed by this list, just looked at her with a confused face. Sighing overdramatically, Maxie walked briskly to the door, went outside, and came back with the day's newspaper. She threw it down in front of Spinelli.

"Grandma?"

"There's a new sheriff in town, Spinelli, and she's…"

"A BABE!!" Spinelli picked up the newspaper and looked at it intently. Maxie sank down onto the couch beside him and watched with disgust as he ogled the newspaper before him.

"Spinelli! Stop it!" Maxie said, irritated, and snapped the newspaper back from him. Spinelli pouted with the new object of his lust taken from him. "Spinelli, how could you not know about this. It's been all over the news!"

Jason strode into the penthouse. He looked with faint distaste at the scattered potato chip bags strewn about his sofa, and slightly less faint distaste at Maxie.

"You have to leave now." Jason said to her sternly and pointed to the door. "Spinelli is busy." Maxie made a face at him.

"Yeah, Spinelli's been so busy doing your work for you over the past couple of days that he hasn't had time to sleep, or eat properly, Jason. What kind of friend are you?"

"I don't have time to argue with you, Maxie. Spinelli is doing important work."

"Hacking into police computers is important work?!"

"Leave. Maxie. NOW."

"And he has no idea what's gone on since that night, either," Maxie struggled against Jason as he forcefully escorted her to the door. "I bet he doesn't even know that Lulu's been in a car accident."

"The Blonde One's been – is she okay?" Spinelli squeaked, absolutely shocked. Jason looked at Maxie with malice, before turning back to Spinelli. "Stone Cold knew? My friend was in a car accident, and you didn't tell me?" Jason looked at Spinelli with pity. "I needed you to focus on your work, Spinelli. Lulu is fine."

"She hasn't been awake since the accident, Spinelli!" Maxie cut in before Jason could shove her out the door and close it behind her.

"Is it true?" Spinelli said, quietly. "Did you know that my friend was in the hospital?" Jason nodded. "And you said nothing." Spinelli sat on the couch, dejected.

"Spinelli, I need you to focus. Do you have thee surveillance of the area from the night that Michael was shot?"

"It's..." Spinelli stuttered. "It's right here. The surveillance from the actual warehouse was compromised, but I did get footage from another nearby warehouse," Spinelli said as he pulled it up on screen. "And there's a figure in dark clothing, with what appears to be a rifle. I couldn't clear the footage enough to get a clear picture of his face, but a few minutes later, I have footage of a dark 4-door sedan heading out of the warehouse district going north. I got a good picture of the plates, but they trace back to a stolen car."

"That's it?" That's all you've got?" Jason stared incredulously at Spinelli. "After three days, that's it?"

"The Jackal is a cyber assassin, not a miracle worker."

"What about the PCPD investigation?"

"Well, the Jackal has been trying to hack into the PCPD system all morning, but…something strange is happening. The Jackal is being thwarted by another cyber assassin, LLS 2.0. The Jackal is unfamiliar with his tactics. H-have no fear though. The Jackal is running his best programs to try to find a crack to weasel his way in."

Jason nodded, already getting up to leave. "Keep me posted."

Spinelli nodded weakly. "Stone Cold, sir? Would you mind terribly -- Could the Jackal please humbly perform his services by the bedside of his injured friend? Concentration will be undoubtedly difficult when he is worried about the Blonde One."

Jason stared at him sternly. "You can't always be with the people you love in this business, Spinelli," he said with a bit of a sigh. Spinelli stared back pitifully. "Okay, fine. Go. But I want my answers, Spinelli. I need to find out who was behind the hit."

* * *

Mac snuck back into the house, and quickly shoved his duffle bag back into the front closet. The tools inside clunked noisily. Covering the bag well, he stood and ran his hand through his wet hair, and inspected his clothes, which were also damp. Walking into the bathroom, he shed the damp clothing and stepped into the shower, smiling smugly that everything went so smoothly. He hummed tunelessly as he worked the soap into lather.

"I think I'm going to like unemployment" he said to himself.


	9. Chapter 9

Carly sat at Michael's bedside, nervously chewing at her nails -- an old habit from her childhood that reared its head whenever she was under too much stress. Her face was the shade of grey that hinted that she hadn't slept or eaten in a couple of days, and the latest take-out container that Jax had brought sat untouched behind her. Right now, she was staring at a single, flecked, beige linoleum tile on the floor. She was staring to avoid looking at the doctors as they murmured amongst themselves, poring over her son's file.

She had seen so many medical teams do this exact same thing over the past few days that she had lost count, but it ended the same way every time. They would shut Michael's folder, walk over, look at her apologetically, and whisper that there was nothing they could do. She couldn't stand to look at them anymore, because she couldn't stand to lose hope. So, Carly continued to stare at the beige tiles on the floor of the cold, empty hospital, because she could do nothing else.

Nodding to themselves, the doctors closed the files, and walked over to the family. Jax touched Carly's shoulder lightly and she took a sharp breath, bracing herself. Peeling her eyes away from the linoleum tile, she stood and forced herself to look at the visiting specialists. Bobbie came and stood beside her, taking her hand and gripping it tightly. Jason and Jax assembled behind her, and Jax put a hand on her shoulder. This time would be different. This time _would_ be different. It had to be.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Jax, but after reviewing your son's case file…"

Carly shook her head, slowly at first, as the news hit her, and then with stubborn defiance, as the doctors reached to shake her hand. "No. No. No! NO! You're wrong! You don't know anything! You don't know my Michael! You don't know him at all! He's strong! You didn't even try! You didn't even look at him! LOOK AT HIM, DAMN IT! LOOK!" Carly shrieked, motioning to Michael as he lay in his hospital bed.

The doctors averted their eyes at the sight of the comatose boy.

She turned to the closest one, a short, balding, plump, bespectacled old man, and started to shake him. "LOOK!" Immediately, Jason restrained her, but she twisted in his grasp and clawed after the old man.

The group of doctors took a few fearful steps back, before turning to Jax with pity and shaking his hand. Jax thanked them, and they left. Once the doctors were out of the room, Carly stopped struggling, and Bobbie escorted her to a chair, whispering to her soothingly.

* * *

Sonny watched the whole exchange from the hallway, his place of banishment. The doctors steered clear of him as they made their way past, not bothering to hide their stares. They knew who he was. Sonny made a move to follow them down the hall.

Carly was right. They hadn't even tried. They had barely looked at Michael, and had spent just a few minutes going over his chart before offering their condolences. These meetings were getting shorter each time. Maybe if he could corner them, he could make them try harder. No one blew off Sonny Corinthos' child!

A pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders and he wheeled around to look into the stony face of Jason, who gave him a stern shake of the head.

"Sonny, don't." Jason warned. Sonny glared up at Jason and shook off his grip.

"You don't tell me what to do about my child, Jason," Sonny threatened, waving his finger, but the doctors had already turned the corner, and by the sound of their footsteps, were hurrying quickly down the adjoining corridor. Sighing, Sonny gave up any hope of pursuit. "How is the investigation going?" he asked at length, in a hushed voice.

"We're still following leads," Jason stated defensively, "Spinelli is looking for footage of the gunman, and tapping into the police investigation."

Sonny looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Since when do we rely on your trained monkey to do our investigating, Jason?! Since when do we rely on the police to find our leads? You never needed them before to do your job, so what has changed now? Do I need to go looking for a new enforcer, Jason?"

"This is Michael we're talking about here. It's as personal to me as it is to you, Sonny. Don't act like it's not. Don't act like Michael means nothing to me. Spinelli does good work, and when he finds the person responsible for this, I'll eliminate him personally."

"Oh, come on, Jason! You know as well as I do that the Zaccharas are behind this! Is this what it's come to now, where I have to go out and take care of this kind of business? And why is it that you get to go in my son's room and I don't when you are as much of a target at this point as I am, huh? WHY IS THAT CARLY?!" Sonny yelled over Jason's shoulder towards Michaels' room.

"Maybe because I don't yell." Jason said, backing Sonny away from the room. "Carly doesn't need this right now. Michael doesn't need this either. Why don't you just go, Sonny?"

"He's MY CHILD!!! Not yours! Not Jax's! MINE!!!" Sonny said, outraged, and tried to push past Jason into the hospital room, but Jason stood his ground. Sonny turned back to Jason, furious. "You know, some friend you turned out to be, Jason. After all this time, Jason, after I made you what you are, something has changed. I gave you everything. Without me, you would have nothing and no one."

"I might still have Carly and Michael." Jason glared. "Or have you forgotten how you helped yourself to what used to be my family? Have you forgotten all that I've done for you and that family to keep you together? To keep you safe? Have you forgotten how many times I've done that? But you know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe I have changed. Maybe it's time you think about changing too, because your son is lying in a coma and it's not my fault, Sonny. Now go. Get out of here." Sonny stood there, lip quivering for a moment in indignant fury, before stalking off down the hall.

* * *

Oily half-memories slicked over Claudia Zacchara's consciousness, as she laid in her hospital bed. _Half remembered shrieks about a boy named Michael in a warehouse somewhere. She was pacing in a panic around the mansion. Johnny was upset. Why? A gun. Fire and smoke everywhere. Glass shattering. The confusing ordeal played over again in her head. The boy in the warehouse. The pacing. Johnny was upset. Johnny needed her…. Where was Johnny?_

"Johnny!" she yelled as she came to with a start, thrashing at her blankets. The institutional walls and lighting were frighteningly bright for a moment, and disorienting, but what really scared Claudia Zacchara was that her brother was nowhere to be found. Grabbing at the assortment of tubes and wires she yanked and clawed until she freed herself and scrambled out of the bed. Alarm beeping sounded immediately, and Claudia looked around warily for her captors.

Moments later, a nurse pushed through the doors, and escorted her back into the bed. Claudia fought her, but it was much like being drawn along by a tidal wave. Struggle was useless. In a matter of seconds, she was back where she started, the tubes and wires back in place as if she'd never moved at all. She screamed in frustration, but the nurse ignored her until she was finished arranging the machines and blankets.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Claudia demanded fiercely. "Where's Johnny? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Calm down, Miss Zacchara. You're in General Hospital. You're safe. You were in a fire. You inhaled a lot of smoke, and have some burns. This," Epiphany said, holding up a tube led to a stand hung with clear plastic bags beside her bed, "is keeping you from feeling those burns, and keeping you nourished and hydrated, so I suggest you don't pull it out again. My name is Nurse Johnson. If you need me, you can page the nurse's station with this button here."

"Where's my brother? Where's Johnny?"

"If you give us a list of names, we'll be glad to try and contact your family for you," Epiphany said, sidestepping the question.

"No, there's just Johnny now." Claudia said, remembering her father's maniacal laughter during the fire. "I have to find him. I have to look out for him. I have to –"

"You have to rest," Epiphany said, matter-of-factly, before leaving the room.

* * *

AJ sat in his desk chair and leaned forward to touch the picture displayed on the monitor of his laptop. He looked so much bigger than when AJ saw him last, already more like a teenager than a child. And AJ would never get to know his son, as a boy, as a teenager, or as a man. He was too late. He sighed.

A knock sounded softly at the door.

"AJ? AJ, are you alright? I'm worried about you. You haven't said anything since you got that phone call earlier. You missed lunch. I brought you a sandwich." Skye slipped through the door with a plate, as AJ turned from the computer. "Hey, are you okay?"

AJ's jaw clenched and he forced a weak smile. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he sniffled

"…AJ?"

"The call earlier. It was my mom. Something's happened to Michael. He was…uh…he was shot in the head at one of Sonny's warehouses." By the time he finished, his hoarse voice was barely a whisper.

"Oh, AJ…" Skye rushed over to AJ's side, and pulled him into a hug. "I'm so sorry."

AJ flinched and stiffened, letting out a bit of a groan. "Ow! The neck!" He gently brushed Skye off and winced, bringing his hand to his neck.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Did I hurt it?" Skye asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." AJ said, smiling for Skye's benefit. He carefully eased himself up, and supported his weight on the chair, reaching for his cane. He breathed heavily with the effort, and a faint sheen of perspiration had appeared on his forehead. Skye reached out a hand to steady him, but he waved her away.

"How…." Skye let her question trail off, not knowing how to ask it without seeming insensitive. "How is he – Michael? Is he?"

"He's in a coma." AJ rasped. "He's in a coma at General Hospital. I want to go see him."

"Oh, AJ! I don't know if that's the best idea. Your neck…your treatments aren't done yet. I mean, you were barely walking a few short months ago."

"He's my son. I'm going to see him. I have to see him. I have to try."

* * *

Sonny fidgeted uncomfortably outside of Alexis' house, and finally worked the courage up to knock on the door. He could hear some sort of Disney cartoon soundtrack blaring loudly behind the door. When Alexis answered the door she was laughing, but her face quickly dropped to one of surprise.

"Sonny? What are you doing here?" She asked, warily, and started glancing nervously in as many different directions as she thought hitmen could hide.

Sonny flinched. He hated feeling like he had to beg to see his own daughter.

"Daddy? Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" Kristina let the last syllable run with her to the door and jumped up into Sonny's arms.

"Hey there, beautiful girl. What are you doing?" Sonny asked, and then kissed her on the forehead.

"Mommy and Molly and I are watching a movie. Do you want to watch?" Kristina asked brightly.

"I'd love to –"

"Kristina, your father can't stay right now. He's got some…umm…business to take care of. Isn't that right, Sonny?" Alexis interrupted forcefully.

"Alexis…"

"I don't want my daughter –" Alexis started, and then not knowing how to finish the sentence in front of her Kristina, turned away, upset. Kristina watched this exchange between her parents with fascination. "Sonny, you can't just drop by like this right now, okay? Not until you finish…until you finish that business."

Sonny closed his eyes and pictured his daughter lying on the floor, blood trickling down her forehead. He couldn't swallow. He couldn't breathe. He didn't want to let go of his child, but he couldn't be here.

"Excuse me, but am I interrupting a family moment?" came an accented voice from behind them. Sonny turned, cradling his daughter, to glare into the face of Jerry Jax. Holding his child tight, he pivoted to look in disbelief at Alexis, who looked as if she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. No one said a thing. The uncomfortable silence grew tense.

"Hi, Jerry," Kristina said, good-naturedly.

"Hi, Kristina," Jerry smiled back, and the sight made Sonny's blood run cold.

"Kristina," Sonny started, carefully, "why don't you go into the house and watch the movie for a bit? We have to talk some grown-up business out here. I'll be in to see you before I go, okay?"

Kristina nodded, and bounded out of Sonny's arms and into the living room. As soon as Kristina was out of earshot, Sonny turned on Alexis.

"What are you playing at, Alexis?" he demanded.

"I – Jerry is a friend." Alexis' hands fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Alexis – Alexis, if you think that _I'm_ too dangerous to have around Kristina… This guy – you don't even want to know how many people want this guy dead, Alexis. Jerry has this habit of making enemies. He's the kind of dangerous freak who would stab his own grandmother if it benefited him, and he'd just hide away in the shadows, smirking afterward like it was all some sort of game. Isn't that right, Jerry? Maybe he's the kind of guy who would shoot an innocent kid in the head and hope it would start a mob war. Is that it, Jerry? Is that the kind of person you are?" Sonny had rounded on Jerry and leaned in to stare the other man in the face, his dark eyes gleaming dangerously up at Jerry, challenging him to admit his part in Michael's shooting.

Jerry gulped.

'You both need to leave – now!" Alexis said throatily, looking back and forth between the two men on her porch. They stood and stared for a moment, before Sonny narrowed his eyes and stalked off.

Jerry smiled apologetically, and tried again, "Alexis…"

"Go. Now, Jerry." Alexis said, locking the door behind her.

* * *

Jax and Bobbie stood at a distance, watching Carly, who was cuddled up with Michael on his hospital bed. Carly whispered to her son, brushing auburn bangs away from his pale face.

Bobbie considered for a moment before leaning in and whispering to Jax. "I think it's time we start discussing long-term options, don't you?"

Jax turned to her, startled. "Bobbie, it's only been a couple of days…"

"It's been almost a week, Jax." Bobbie corrected him. "He's shown no improvement. There's nothing they can do for him here. There's nothing that anyone can do."

"I don't know if Carly's ready to hear that yet."

"You're right. She's not ready. She'll never be ready, Jax. I wasn't ready when they told me about BJ, but there's never going to be a good time Jax. No time is a good time to hear that your child isn't coming back."

"Michael is still alive, Bobbie."

"He is, but we've got to start facing the reality that he may never be coming back to us, Jax. Do you think I want to be here, having this conversation? My grandson is in a coma he might never come out of. My niece is down the hall in the same situation. Do you think I want to be reliving this hell, Jax? We have no choice."

Jax looked at her a moment, before nodding his head slowly. "Just give her this time, Bobbie. We'll talk about it, but give her time."

* * *

Sonny stood in Kate Howard's backyard, looking up at the balcony outside of her bedroom. The bedroom was dark, but Sonny could see the glimmer of a few candles through the glass of the balcony door.

"Kate!" Sonny shouted, "Kate, I know you're in there. Could you please just come down. Let me in. I just -- I need someone to talk to, Kate. Please."

Kate sat huddled in her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn't know if she could take another one of Sonny's violent outbursts. She didn't know if she could take another accusatory stare. She hadn't slept in days. Over and over, every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Sonny, huddled on the floor of the warehouse with his bleeding son, and it was all her fault. She had to get out of this place. She picked up her cell phone, wondering who she could call.

She heard the sound of Sonny's shoes scuffling against stone as he left.

* * *

Claudia shifted uncomfortably in her hospital bed. She didn't like being confined. She didn't like being alone. The drugs were beginning to wear off a little bit, and as her head cleared, an uncomfortable, itchy, burning sensation began to develop on the bandage-covered parts of her skin. She needed something to take her mind off of the situation before she started to go insane.

Spotting a remote control on the night table, she aimed it at the television suspended on the other side of the room.

Football game. Click. Ernest Goes To….Somewhere. Click. Steel Magnolias. Click. The Godfather. Laugh and click. News.

"…and police crews are finally planning on re-opening a stretch of rural road that was stage to a grizzly car crash earlier this week that claimed two lives, and injured another. Just down the road from the inferno at the Zacchara mansion, a devastating crash ended the life of young doctor, Ian Devlin, 33, and Johnny Zacchara, 25, son of prominent mobster Anthony Zacchara…"

Claudia let the remote fall from her hand.

* * *

Another knock sounded at the door as Alexis was putting Molly to bed. The toddler snatched at Alexis, refusing to let her leave without at least one bedtime story. Sighing, Alexis gathered the child under one arm and headed for the door. As she walked down the hallway, she could hear the faucet running in the bathroom, and hoped that Kristina would take an extra long time brushing her teeth in case Jerry or Sonny had returned. She hoped it was neither, but she knew that most likely one of them had returned. She opened the door. She was wrong.

"Ric? Where the hell have you been?"

"Out of town." Ric answered, cryptically. "Can I come in? It's a little chilly." Without waiting for her assent, he edged past her into the living room.

"Are you and the girls okay?"

"A little late for that. Have you heard that Michael was shot?"

Ric nodded. "I came back as soon as I heard. Listen, I dropped by earlier, but Jerry was here."

"I don't want to hear it, Ric. You have no business poking into my personal life. Not anymore.

"I do when my daughter's safety is at sake."

"Molly is fine." Alexis said coldly. The toddler squirmed under her arm, and reached for her father. Grudgingly, Alexis handed her over.

"I've been looking into Jerry Jax, Alexis," Ric began in earnest.

"Oh, you have, have you?"

"Look, I did some poking around. HE is a very difficult man to track, Alexis. I don't think he's who he pretends to be, and I think he's far more dangerous than you know."

"I can take care of myself, Ric."

"I'm worried about our daughter."

Alexis debated telling Ric about her plan with Jax to pump "Jerry" on information that would help Jax find out the whereabouts of his real brother. No, Ric would want in on it. He would insist Alexis stay out of it. They were too close to finding the real Jerry.

"I can handle it, Ric," she said, taking Molly from him, and looking him square in the eye. "I don't need you to check on my boyfriends for me." She escorted him to the door and shut it before he could object.

* * *

Jerry Jax strolled onto the Pier and drew a pair of binoculars out of his pocket. Hearing a rustling sound, he turned to find that he was not alone. Mac Scorpio sat on the bench to his right, looking through his own set of binoculars, noisily unwrapping a sandwich.

"What are you doing here?" Jerry asked, irritatedly.

Mac took a giant bite of his sandwich, and chewed for a few seconds, before responding, mouth still full.

"Retired. Got too much time on my hands. Thought I'd come down and watch the ships. Sandwich?" Mac offered a triangle of white bread to Jerry. Jerry sniffed irritatedly.

"Strange hobby."

"Looks like I'm not the only one." Mac gestured at Jerry's binoculars with his own. "I've always wanted to just come and watch the ships as they come in. I never had time when I was police commissioner. It's fascinating, you know. Each ship has it's own story. Where is it coming from? What is it carrying? Like, that one right there." Mac pointed into the distance, putting the binoculars to his eyes again." You see that big ship, riding low in the water? I wonder why it's doing that. Do you think it's because it's carrying so much cargo, or do you think it's maybe because there are some fissures in its hull and it's taking on water?"

Jerry followed Mac's outstretched hand and quickly snatched up his own binoculars. That was his ship! His head snapped around and he glared at Mac openly. Suddenly, Jerry's cell phone rang. He didn't need to answer it to know who it was or what it was about.

Mac continued to gleefully munch on his sandwich as he watched Jerry's ship sink further under the water.

* * *

"No." Carly said flatly.

"Carly…" Bobbie said soothingly.

"No. He's going to get better." Carly looked at her mother defiantly.

"Carly, look. We just want to start considering it. We don't have to do anything right away." Jax crouched in front of her and took her hand.

"We still have those specialists from Germany. They might find something that the others missed." Carly argued.

"I just – I think we should start looking into long-term facilities…just in case." Jax reasoned. His phone went off. Cursing under his breath, he gave Carly a long look, before turning away, fishing his phone out of his pocket, and strolling into the hallway.

"Jasper Jax." He answered flatly, with a bit of a sigh.

"Jax?"

"Skye?"

"I just heard about Michael. I'm so sorry. How is he?"

"It's not looking good." Jax's glanced flicked back through the door, and he saw Bobbie pleading with Carly.

"Listen, I know it's a bad time, but I have a big favour to ask…" Skye started.

* * *

St. Timothy's was empty at this time of night. Sonny stood at the front, and lingered for a moment in front of a picture of Mary, before lighting a candle. Crossing himself, he knelt on the pew before the candles and began to pray.

"I…umm…I know I'm a bad man. I know – I know I don't deserve to be in your presence, to ask anything from you. I know the way I live my life – I know it's wrong. But I don't have anywhere else to go, and I don't know what to do." Sonny broke down into tears. "And I don't know who to ask for help."

"I can help you, Sonny." Sonny wheeled around to face Ric.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Sonny scowled.

"Interesting choice of words, Sonny. Look, I'm here. Do you want my help or not?"

* * *

Claudia Zacchara staggered down the hallway. This time she had been quicker, and that nurse hadn't caught her. The medication made the hall pitch slightly, but if she held on to the wall, she could make it. She leaned on the morgue doors heavily before they opened. The place was empty this time of night.

Cautiously she walked toward the wall of metal doors. She ran her hand over each one slowly, reading the names, until she found the one that she wanted. Trembling, her fingers tightened around the door handle. Closing her eyes, she pulled. She slid the sheet-covered body out and braced herself against it. Peeling back the sheet carefully, she opened her eyes and stared in horror at the bruised and mangled body inside. Her Johnny.

She clutched at the body, unable to support her own weight anymore, and dissolved into sobs on the floor, vowing to make the bastards who did this pay. They found her there, several hours later, still sobbing, shaking uncontrollably. They thought it was pain. It was rage.


End file.
